Fate's Misadventures
by Amaterasu1969
Summary: Sequel to Strings of Fate. It's been a year since Helen left and she unwillingly returns to Japan just as a new threat surfaces. Sesshomaru goes to the Modern Era to protect and win her back. But, one-she hates him, and two-he's got competition. Again.
1. The Job and the Introspection

**A1969: yay! Sequel! Bet you all didn't see that one coming now, did you?  
Inuyasha: dammit...and I thought we were finally rid of you!  
Kagome: ignore Inuyasha.  
A1969: I was about to. Anyway, Inuyasha—disclaimer.  
Inuyasha: I thought you were ignoring me?  
A1969: disclaimer.  
Inuyasha: keh! The idiot doesn't own anything except for the OC's and the damn plot.  
A1969: oh, and thank you all so much for the reviews on the last chapter of Strings of Fate! Note: I tried to make this one funny, but be warned—sometimes, I really have a corny sense of humor.**

**Summary:**

**It's been a year since Helen left, but she unwillingly returns to Japan just as a new threat surfaces. Sesshoumaru goes to the Modern Era to protect her and tries to win her back. But he ultimately discovers two things—one, she hates his guts, and two—he's got competition. Again. **

**Chapter One: The Job and The Introspection**

**XoXoXo**

The moon was beautifully full in the sky, with a ring slowly forming around it. In three or four days, the ring around the moon would be complete. The silvery light bathed a woman standing near the lake of her garden, her violet eyes fixed warily on the moon, at the ring that slowly formed around it. This ring had a subtle silver glow to it that only demonic eyes could see. She sighed, worried.

"You've noticed it too, Shinsuke?" a voice asked.

Lady Shinsuke glanced over her shoulder. A woman was making her way towards her, a woman with silver hair, beautiful golden eyes, a jagged striped marking on each side of her cheek, and a crescent moon on her forehead.

"Ah, Takeida," Lady Shinsuke said as her friend stood beside her. "Of course, I've noticed."

"It's nearly time, isn't it?" Lady Takeida asked. For once, both dog demonesses were serious.

"Indeed."

Lady Takeida sighed. "Has it really been five hundred years already?" She sighed again. "Five hundred years...the years have gone by so fast." They were both silent again.

"It can't be helped," Lady Takeida muttered. "In three or four days, the ring will be complete—and she will be free."

"And vengeful," Lady Shinsuke pointed out.

There was silence again. "Ah, well," Lady Takeida said, turning on her heel. "Come on, Shinsuke, we have much to discuss."

Lady Shinsuke took one last glance up at the moon and, sighing, turned and followed Lady Takeida.

**XoXoXo**

Sesshoumaru was aggravated.

He glanced at Rin and Jaken, who were both up to their knees in the stream, trying to catch fish. "Master Jaken, over there!" Rin screamed, pointing to a fish that darted between Jaken's skinny knees.

"Where? Oh, there! Wait, you stupid fish! I got—!" Jaken slipped on the smooth, slimy pebbles and vanished beneath the waters.

"Master Jaken, where are you?!" Rin called out, looking at a spot where bubbles broke the surface of the water. "Master Jaken!"

"I'm alive!" Jaken gasped as his head broke the surface. He took deep lungfuls of air and coughed.

"Master Jaken, look!" Rin pointed to his head, at his hat.

Jaken felt something squirming there. He tugged his hat off, and a fish fell into his other open hand. "Ha!" the toad demon screeched triumphantly. "I _told _you I'd get it!"

"Good for you, Master Jaken!"

Normally, Sesshoumaru would be amused, but not today. He was sitting underneath the tree, watching them. Aggravation. Why did he feel so aggravated all the time? Was it because there had been no sign of Naraku for nearly a year now? Was it because Jaken seemed to be complaining all the time? Was it because he had received a summons from his honorable mother two days ago, which he ignored? Or, was it because he missed...?

No, of course not. He didn't miss her. He didn't need her—he needed no one. But then, why was he so aggravated all the time? It must be Jaken, he decided.

"Lord Sesshoumaru, look!" Rin crowed as she and Jaken climbed out of the stream. Rin was holding a string of several large fish in her little fist. "Master Jaken and I got sooo much fish!"

Sesshoumaru didn't answer. At that moment, the wind picked up speed. He stood up as a familiar scent permeated the air.

"Don't tell me she's back?!" Jaken said, as he and Rin stopped in front of Sesshoumaru.

Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes as fallen leaves swirled in front of him. The wind picked up speed, and the leaves swirled even faster than before. The wind died down and as the leaves fell to the ground, a woman materialized amidst the haze of falling leaves. Her green hair whipped around her face, and her wise eyes.

"Lord Sesshoumaru," she said, bowing to him, and then straightening.

"Chihiro," he said, narrowing his eyes at Lady Shinsuke's most trusted head-maid.

"My Lady and your honorable Mother request your presence immediately, Lord Sesshoumaru," Chihiro announced, her tone hiding the most subtle trace of urgency.

Sesshoumaru looked coldly at her. In the last two days, she had come and said the same thing, and in the last two days, he had ignored her requests, mainly because Lady Shinsuke also wanted to see him, and Lady Shinsuke meant only one thing...But now, it was the third time that Chihiro had come, and he knew that it would be disrespectful and improper of him to refuse his Mother, even though he was the Lord of the Western Lands.

"Very well," he conceded.

**XoXoXo**

"Kagome, you're going to be late!" She felt not-so-gentle hands shaking her furiously awake.

Kagome Higurashi's brown eyes flew open, and she looked up to see her mother's eyes looking down at her. "Mama?" she asked groggily.

"You're going to be late, dear," her mother repeated.

Kagome's mind immediately sharpened, throwing off the grogginess of sleep. "What?!" she shrieked, grabbing her pink alarm clock from the bedside table. Her eyes widened when she saw the time. "No!" Quick as a flash, she threw the blankets off her and darted to her closet, yanking out her school uniform.

"I'll go heat your breakfast," Mrs. Higurashi said, as she left the room.

"No, Mama!" Kagome called, as she pulled off her pyjamas. "I'll just have a piece of toast!" She hurriedly put on her school uniform, not even bothering to fold her pyjamas which fell to the floor in a messy heap. She hastily pulled on her socks, not even bothering to sit down. She wobbled as she hopped on one foot, pulling the sock frantically onto the other, and nearly losing her balance. She pulled on the other sock, hurriedly brushed her hair, and ran out the door, nearly tripping on her pyjamas on the floor.

She dashed down the stairs and slid the door to the kitchen open, frantic. "Hey," a familiar voice greeted, the moment she opened the doors.

Kagome fell down, anime-style. "Inuyasha?!" she exclaimed, as she stood up, glaring at the young man who sat down at the table, Buyo, her fat cat, in his lap.

The young man named Inuyasha raised his eyebrows at her hectic expression. He had long silver hair that fell past his waist, and two dog ears sticking out the top of his head, his trademark as a half dog demon. He wore a red haori and red hakama. There was a sheathed sword strapped to his waist. He held Buyo's two palms in each of his clawed hands, making the poor cat try to dance.

"What are you doing here?!" Kagome exclaimed. "And put my cat down!"

"Yeesh, never a morning person, are you?" Inuyasha said, not letting Buyo go. "I've come to take you back, of course."

"I can't go back now!" Kagome screeched. "Are you crazy?!"

"No," Inuyasha said. Then he did something that made Kagome realize that something was wrong. He let go of Buyo. The cat fell to the floor with a muffled thud, and Inuyasha's became intense. "We have to go back, Kagome."

"Why?" she asked, pushing school from her mind. There were other more important things right now.

"There's something funny going on," Inuyasha announced, as he pushed his chair back, and stood up. "Something's not right."

"Naraku?" It had been nearly a year since they had last seen him.

"No," Inuyasha said, shaking his head. "Something else. I don't know what it is, but Miroku thinks it's something dangerous, obviously."

"Where are the others?"

"At Kaede's, where else?"

Kagome sighed. And all her morning rush for nothing! She turned to her mother, who was bustling around with the toast. "Mama, I won't need those," she said, sighing. "I'm going back to the Feudal Era..."

Her Mother smiled and pushed a stack of toast into her hands. "Eat them on the way," she said. "It's blueberry jam—your favorite. And don't worry, I'll call the school." She smiled again.

Kagome nodded and pecked her mother lightly on the cheek. "Thank you, Mama!"

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

"Kagome, you're back!" Sango greeted as Kagome and Inuyasha traipsed into Kaede's hut. Everyone was gathered there. Miroku was sitting next to Sango, as always. Sango sat next to Kohaku, with Shippou sitting on her shoulder. Kirara was lying on Sango's lap, letting her mistress stroke her cream colored fur. Kaede was sitting opposite them, across the cold fire pit in the center of the hut.

"Hey, guys!" Kagome said as she sat next to Kaede. Inuyasha sat behind her, against the wall, folding his arms across his chest. She nibbled a piece of toast from the stack she carried, and politely offered some to the others.

Miroku rolled his eyes. "Just eat, Kagome," he said. "We have a lot to talk about."

"Can I have some, Kagome?" Shippou asked, bounding over to her. She gladly gave him the remaining pieces of toast, and turned to the others just as Shippou seated himself on her lap.

"So, what's this all about?" Kagome asked.

"For the past three days, there's been a high concentration of energy forming at the moon," Miroku went on.

"The moon?" Kagome said. "Do you think that Kaguya...?"

"She's long gone," Sango said. "This has to be something else."

"Naraku...?"

Inuyasha shook his head. "It's far too powerful to be Naraku," he pointed out. "I think I told you that earlier."

"But, if it's not Naraku," Kagome said. "Then what...?"

"We don't know," Miroku said. "But...maybe it has something to do with the ring that's forming around the moon?" He sounded unsure. "In any case, this is something we can't ignore."

They were all silent for a moment, and then Inuyasha spoke up. "Dammit," he growled. "We're going to have to act like heroes again, aren't we?"

**XoXoXo**

He could hear them talking.

Sesshoumaru stopped just outside the doors to the reception hall, where Lady Shinsuke received her imperious guests. He quickly sealed his scent and aura. A little eavesdropping never hurt now, did it?

"...will he agree, though?" Lady Shinsuke was saying. Agree...speculations ran throughout his mind, each guess more wild and unlikely than the next.

"He will," Lady Takeida said. "I'm sure of it. Of course, he might need a little persuading..."

"So, you are not entirely sure about his acquiescing?" Lady Shinsuke asked.

Acquiescing to what?

"Why don't we ask him ourselves?" Lady Takeida said dryly. "Sesshoumaru, stop lingering there, and come in!"

He never really could fool her with hiding his scent and aura. She was his mother after all. Maintaining his dignity, Sesshoumaru unsealed his scent and aura with a mere shift of his will, slid open the door and entered the room. Lady Takeida was sitting across from Lady Shinsuke, a tray of tea in between them. The shutters were open to the garden, letting the warm sunlight permeate the room. A tiny breeze blew softly from the west.

"Did you actually think I wouldn't know you were there, my son?" Lady Takeida asked, amused.

Sesshoumaru said nothing as he entered the room and sat gracefully next to his mother. "To what do I owe the summons?" he asked indifferently.

"I have a job for you, my son," his mother said, smiling sweetly at him.

"I've no desire to waste my time."

"You're doing nothing."

"I am tracking Naraku."

"Well, now you won't," Lady Takeida said firmly. "As I've said, I've a job for you—one that you will do."

"And if I don't?"

"Are you talking back to your mother, young man?" Lady Takeida snapped.

Lady Shinsuke cleared her throat. "Sesshoumaru," she said, taking matters into her own hands. "Have you gazed up at the moon for the past few days?"

He narrowed his eyes at her, a subtle hint for her to go on. "Well, I'm sure you do," Lady Shinsuke went on. "There is a ring forming around the moon—a silver ring."

"That is none of my concern."

"On the contraire," Lady Shinsuke said, smiling. "It should be very much your concern."

"What do you mean?"

"Five hundred years ago," this time, it was Lady Takeida who spoke. "Just after you were born, Sesshoumaru, there was a powerful demoness who descended from the heavens—a celestial demoness, if you will. Very powerful, very beautiful, and virtually deadly. She descended from the heavens, and came here. Your Father would not have her here, for she causes havoc and chaos. Unfortunately, this demoness was far, far more powerful than your father...

"Her name is Sokoro. Long story short, Sesshoumaru, the four lords and ladies of the lands had to combine their power in order to seal her away. We bound her to the moon, but even then, we cannot be free of her. The seal we placed on her was not enough, and, after five hundred years, it would weaken, and Sokoro would break free, and seek revenge..." Her voice trailed off again, and she sighed. "Tomorrow, the ring around the moon will be complete, and Sokoro will break free..."

"You want me to kill her?" Sesshoumaru asked.

Lady Takeida's eyes widened. "Heavens, no, you arrogant fool!" she said, shocked. "You are no match for her"—he glared—"and she can easily kill you. Don't give me that look, Sesshoumaru! You're not always the most powerful thing out there, you know."

"Then why are you wasting my time?"

To his surprise, both Lady Takeida and Lady Shinsuke threw each other unsure glances. They both looked at him. "That is because..." his mother began.

He raised an eyebrow at her.

"You tell him, Shinsuke," Lady Takeida said.

Lady Shinsuke sighed. "The moment Sokoro breaks free, she will seek her revenge," she said. "However, that woman knows how to strike, and—"

"Obviously, she will destroy you both," Sesshoumaru pointed out.

His mother rolled his eyes. "I can see you're concerned if that should happen," she said sarcastically.

"If?" Sesshoumaru asked, ignoring his mother.

"As I've said," Lady Shinsuke went on. "She knows how to strike. She will not go for the lives of the ones who sealed her, no. She will take the lives of those who are dear to us."

"Then I should start hiding my azaleas," Lady Takeida muttered, getting back at Sesshoumaru.

Sesshoumaru ignored his mother. Those who were dear to them? He didn't like where this was going. "So, she will kill me," he said calmly.

Lady Shinsuke looked at him. "Not just you," she said softly. "I've never told anyone except Takeida...The real reason I sent Helen away in the first place, the real reason why I sealed her in a human body was so I could hide her from Sokoro."

Strange enough, his aggravation only increased at the mention of that one name. "And?" Sesshoumaru asked nonchalantly. "Helen is gone"—the aggravation increased tenfold—"and presumably safe in the Modern Era."

Lady Shinsuke sighed. "It's not that simple," she said. "Sokoro will look for her—for both of you. And then she will probably go after Lord Toshimaru and Lord Ragetsu's son, Lord Susanoo. And if you are about to ask why the both of you first...it was because of Takeida and I that Sokoro was immobilized long enough for the others to seal her away." She smiled wryly at him.

"And?" He had a sneaking suspicion of what would happen next.

"Your job, Sesshoumaru," his mother said, smiling an amused smile at him. "Is to go to the Modern Era and protect Helen. Of course, in the Modern Era, you'll probably be safe as well."

He glared at her. One—did she actually think that he, of all people, would rather be safe than in danger? And two—protecting Helen...that wasn't exactly what he wanted to do. In the year since he had last seen her, his aggravating feelings for her hadn't ebbed. They seemed to have gotten stronger, a classic case of absence that made the heart grow fonder. His answer was not unexpected.

"No."

Lady Shinsuke and Lady Takeida raised their eyebrows at him in unison. They had a strategy for this that they had prepared especially for the stubborn Sesshoumaru.

"And why not, my son?" Lady Takeida asked.

"She is none of my concern."

"Then you will let Sokoro kill her? Sokoro tends to go after those who are weakest, you see. No offense, Shinsuke."

"Perhaps."

"And what has Helen done to you, my son?"

"..."

"Do you have any good reason for not protecting her?"

"..."

"It can't be helped," Lady Takeida said, sighing. "I suppose Lord _Toshimaru_ will have to do that, then."

Sesshoumaru stiffened.

The bastard Toshimaru...It had been a year since he had last seen his cousin, and he still felt like wringing his neck.

"You may leave, then Sesshoumaru," Lady Takeida said dismissively. "And call Chihiro on your way out, won't you? I'll have to get a message sent to Lord Toshimaru."

Sesshoumaru was painfully aware of the reverse psychology that they were using against him. He knew it would be petty to fall for it, but the thought of Helen with Toshimaru in the Modern Era—he didn't like it. He didn't like it at all.

"Not necessary," he said.

Once again, Lady Takeida and Lady Shinsuke raised their eyebrows at him in unison. "Why not, my son? We cannot leave Helen defenseless now, can we? And I am sure Lord Toshimaru would be _more_ than happy to—"

"_I _will protect her," he said coldly.

Lady Takeida smiled at him, satisfied. If there was one thing she loved about being mother to one of the most powerful demons around, it was the fact that she knew how to push his buttons.

**XoXoXo**

The locker door slammed shut with a loud bang that made several heads turn in her direction. She grinned sheepishly at them. The students shrugged and went back to their own business—clearing out their lockers for the summer.

Helen sighed and leaned her forehead against the cold metal of her locker. All around her, she heard the bustling and roughhousing of students as they ran in the hallways, ramming into each other, some in their haste to get out and begin their summer, others in their haste to outrun the vengeful victims of their pre-summer pranks. Other students were more placid, walking along the hallway at a leisurely pace, and chatting happily with their friends. In other words, a normal school day that would be their last.

Helen sighed again. Was it her fault that she was upset because of the changes in her mother's wedding plans? No, it wasn't her fault. She frowned to herself as last week's conversation came back to mind...

"_Helen, I've got wonderful news!" her mother had said. They were having dinner in the kitchen. Her mother's fiancée, Robert Blake, was not around, which was a first._

"_News?" Helen had asked, looking up from her plate of rice. She beamed. "The bridesmaid's dresses are done?" Truth be told, she had been excited to try her dress out._

"_No, silly!" Hsia had said, shaking her head. "Kagome's going to be a bridesmaid!"_

"_That's wonderful!" Helen exclaimed. But she had frowned, puzzled. "But...Kagome still has school, and I don't think she can come here at all—she needs to catch up on her studies, you know."_

_Hsia had only smiled mysteriously, waiting for Helen to figure it out. "She's coming here?" Helen asked, feeling the euphoria building._

"_No, silly!" Hsia said, giggling. "Don't you get it yet? The wedding will be in Japan! It's still a Western style wedding, but it will be in Japan!"_

_Helen dropped her spoon with a loud clatter. "Japan?" she repeated. Japan only meant one thing (demon) and she didn't want to think about it. Because every time she did, she felt both hurt and angry, and she knew that she shouldn't, because it would be so unfair._

"_Yes, Japan!" _

"_Mom," Helen said slowly. Her mother didn't know about what happened between her and..._him_. "You're wedding is in three months...you have so many preparations to make, so many details to take care of...I don't think you have that much time."_

"_Robert took care of everything!" Hsia gushed. "The certificates, everything! He even said your friends could come, if you want them to! And he's willing to pay for their tickets, too, isn't that nice?"_

_Ah Robert, good old, CEO Robert. Nothing against him, but, at times like these, why couldn't her mother just marry someone who didn't have a big pocket, and lots and lots of connections?_

"_Japan?" Helen repeated, wishing that this was just a dream._

"_You'll get to see Kagome again, isn't that lovely?" Hsia said, her eyes glowing. _

_Helen faked a smile. "Yeah...it's lovely..."_

_Not._

Helen sighed and pressed her forehead even closer to her locker. Japan. Wow. That conversation had taken place last week and, tonight, she was to start packing her things. She didn't want to go, she honestly didn't. But it couldn't be helped. She knew it was selfish of her to put her personal problems ahead of her mother's happiness, and she decided to set that aside. After all, it wasn't like she was going to see _him_ again, right? Though, of course, once in Japan, running into the 'bipolar bastard', as Kagome once called him, was inevitable.

She sighed and straightened up. Her hand clasped the necklace she wore, the Hitoku Ishi, which hid her demonic form under an illusion. She felt a pang of nostalgia as she felt her fingers brush against the cold blue stone. Her demoness mother, Lady Shinsuke, had given it to her so she could come back to the Modern Era...She actually missed Lady Shinsuke...

"Helen!" several squealed, catching her off guard.

Helen jumped, and dropped the books she had been carrying. She spun around, unknowingly flexing her claws, to come face to face with her four best friends, Andrea, Alicia, Terri and Emily.

"Guys!" Helen snapped, her heart throbbing. "Don't do that!"

Here was something rather pitiful—a dog demoness who couldn't even sense four human girls coming. This was all Japan's fault, she decided.

"Sorry," Terri said, giggling and not sounding repentant at all. "But we couldn't resist! You were so spaced out!"

"Can you blame her?" Alicia said, nudging Terri in the ribs. "After all, school is officially out for the summer, and tomorrow we're all going to Japan! Isn't Robert the best?"

"Yeah, you're _all_ going to Japan," Terri said sourly as Emily nodded her head in agreement with Terri.

"Aw, come on, Ems, Ter...Can't you guys persuade your parents?" Andrea asked. The two sighed, and shook their heads.

Helen stiffened at the mention of Japan. Truth be told, she had honestly forgotten that they were leaving tomorrow. How strange. She could have sworn that she had remembered this morning, which was why she had felt so put off.

"Yeah, Robert's the best," Helen muttered as she bent down to pick up her books. Huh? Her books were gone. Instead, she found herself looking at a pair of dark brown shoes. She looked up to see Todd Clarke grinning down at her, her books stacked neatly in his arms.

"Hey," he said, as she straightened up. He handed her the books and grinned at her. "So, you guys are off to Japan, huh?"

"Yup," Andrea enthused.

"Definitely," Alicia quipped.

"Hm..." was all Helen could say.

"Too bad you're not going, Todd," Alicia said, sighing.

"Riiight," Todd said, rolling his eyes. "Anyway, you girls enjoy yourselves!" He ruffled Helen's dark tresses, and waved as he ran down the hallway, vanishing amidst a sea of students.

"So, Helen," Alicia said, turning to Helen, her eyes bright with enthusiasm. "You ready to take us around Japan? See the sights, and all? Aw, come on, Emily—at least you're going to Disneyland!"

"Hahaha, what joy," Emily said, rolling her eyes.

"Yeah, sure," Helen said, inwardly sighing. Why Japan? Why couldn't her mother get married someplace else nice? Let's say...Hawaii—that would be nice. She'd always wanted to go to Hawaii for the summer, anyway. But nooo. Fate had to taunt her, and fill her mother's head with Japan...She shook her head. Now was not the time to think about it. The least she could do was to help make her mother's wedding a success, in the very least. She would do that, she decided. After all, weddings meant being busy. And being busy meant having no time for anything else...especially the Feudal Era.

"Helen, did you hear me?" Andrea asked, gently shaking her friend's arm.

"What?" Helen asked.

"You're spacing out again!" Alicia said, giggling. "You all excited to take us around Japan? Oh, and I think it's best if you taught us Japanese while we're on the plane—"

"SCHOOL'S OUT!" several boys screamed, as they rushed down the hallway and towards the double doors and out to freedom.

"SUMMER, SUMMER, SUMMER, SUMMER, SUMMER!" boys cheered as they rushed out the doors.

Alicia, Andrea, Terri and Emily all laughed. "I like it when they do this every time," Terri said, giggling. "Makes it seem more official, you know."

Alicia and Andrea were squealing. "Excitement major!" they said, as the five of them traipsed out the school doors.

"Helen, what time should we be at your place tomorrow?" Andrea asked.

"Um...around six, I should think," Helen said, finally remembering the unwanted details of the trip. "Plane leaves at eight."

"Six?!" Alicia groaned. "Well, Japan better be worth it!"

Helen sighed and looked up at the afternoon sunlight, her thoughts wandering...

**XoXoXo**

Why on earth had he fallen for it again?

Sesshoumaru could think of nothing else as he returned to Rin and Jaken later that night. It was quite late, and both Rin and Jaken had fallen asleep against Ah-Un, who remained vigilant and alert. The shadows from the flickering campfire danced around the two inert forms sleeping against the dragon. At the sound of his master's approach, Ah-Un lifted both his heads and growled softly. Sesshoumaru glanced at him and the dragon lowered both his heads to get some sleep.

He sighed as he made his way towards a tree and sat underneath it. He stared up at the moon. The ring around it would be complete tomorrow, and then...

Was he really going to do this, though? Was he really going to risk his sanity and pride all for Helen's sake? It couldn't be helped. He had given his dear manipulative mother his word, and he was not going to break it. Though...he could have so easily refused. So why did he agree? It was one question he wanted answered. It was time for a little introspection. Something told him he was not going to be pleased with what he would discover. Nonetheless, it was necessary.

Of course, he told himself, he would do a better job of protecting Helen than Toshimaru. But _why_? Why did he agree to protect her? His mother's manipulation wasn't really _that_ infallible, and he knew better than to fall for it.

_You want to protect her. _It had been so long since he had heard that annoying little voice in his head. It was no coincidence that the pesky voice returned now, of all times.

_Why should I? Why should I protect someone who would only make me weak?_

Why?

He wanted an answer. Now.

He sighed and inwardly growled. Tomorrow, he would go see Kagome and ask her to call Helen on those telephone things again. He wasn't really looking forward to seeing Kagome again. The last time he had talked to her, which had been a year ago, she had threatened to have Inuyasha lop off his head. She had been angry at him for hurting Helen, and who knows what that capricious miko would do now?

A year ago...

The moment he thought of his last meeting with Kagome, his last meeting with Helen came to mind. And how could it not? They both happened on the same day.

He remembered that day all too clearly. Helen, under the guise of a human, sitting at the well's edge, looking at him with a nonchalant look that barely concealed the sadness in her eyes...

She had asked him to tell Rin sorry for her. He had duly done so, and the little girl accepted, with good grace, that Helen had to leave for her own good, but Rin had still been saddened, nonetheless...

He suddenly felt aggravated as he remembered. Every time he thought of her, he was always aggravated, and now he wanted to know why. Why he felt aggravated, why he had agreed to protect her. Unbidden and unwanted, their last conversation came into mind.

"_Will you do something for me?" he had asked._

"_Sure." She had tried to sound nonchalant, but he easily saw through her._

"_Watch out for yourself."_

"_I'll try," she had promised._

"_That will suffice."_

And then, she had jumped into the well. He had been torn then, about jumping in and going after her, but, somehow, he had restrained himself and walked away. But ever since that day, his thoughts would mysteriously divert to her, and aggravation would consume him. But was it just aggravation, or was there something else entirely?

With a sickening jolt, he realized that he had been right all along. He wouldn't like the results of his little introspection, because now, of all times, he realized one thing that didn't please him at all.

He missed her.

**XoXoXo**

Helen slammed her suitcase shut and sat on the edge of the bed. Outside her bedroom window, it was dark, and she could easily make out the stars that glimmered in the sky. She was all set, and she wished that this wasn't really happening. How could fate mock her right now? Why did the gods love making fun of her? Japan, of all places!

She shook her head. No, she had promised herself that she wouldn't complain about it, even to herself. She would be happy, for her mother's sake. Besides, it wasn't like she was going to run into _him_ now, was she? No, she shouldn't think of _him_—it was so unfair. But then, how could she not think of _him_ when she would be staying at Kagome's house along with Alicia and Andrea so as to give her mother and Robert privacy in their hotel room?

Sure, she would run into Inuyasha (and she was looking forward to seeing him again), but would she run into...Sesshoumaru? There. She had thought of his name after all those months. Wasn't that proof that she was over him?

She sighed as she stood up, and made her way towards the window to look out at the moon. There was a ring around the moon, but that wasn't so extraordinary now, was it? But no, with her demonic eyes, she could see something else. A hint of silver iridescence that illuminated the ring around the moon.

Silver.

That was the real color of her eyes, and—admittedly—Sesshoumaru's hair. She shook her head as nostalgia started taking hold of her. She shut the window and made her way to bed. She set the alarm clock for five in the morning, and plopped down on the bed, pulling the blanket over her. She needed a good night's rest if she was to be 'bubbly' around her friends, mother and soon-to-be-human-father.

Tomorrow, she would be off to Japan.

**XoXoXo**

**A1969: that's the first chapter.  
Inuyasha: and I thought we were finally rid of you.  
A1969: I think you've said that before...  
Kagome: Inuyasha be nice!  
Inuyasha: keh! I don't think you're the real A1969. She's usually sloppy, you see. Especially when it comes to updating.  
A1969: paranoia—that's what you get when you have adorable dog ears and an entire legion of hyper fan girls.  
Inuyasha: what?!  
A1969: **_**anyway**_**...Don't forget to review please!**


	2. She Loves Me, She Loves Me Not

**A1969: yay, chapter two!  
Inuyasha: who gave her sugar?  
Kagome: -whistling suspiciously-  
A1969: anyway –giggles- I'd like to thank everyone who read and reviewed, favorited, story-alerted, this story! Thanks guys! –giggles-  
Inuyasha: wait a minute...thank you to whoever gave the authoress sugar!  
Kagome: huh, why? –author giggles hysterically-  
Inuyasha: sugar crash.**

**Chapter Two: She Loves Me, She Loves Me Not**

**XoXoXo**

Idiot.

Throughout the whole morning, Sesshoumaru could think of nothing else, except that he was an utter fool. More than a fool, even. Strange, it wasn't every morning that the omniscient Lord of the West felt like an idiot. And it all started last night, when he realized that he missed her…

He was walking ahead of Rin and Jaken, doing everything in his power to drown out their inconsequential bickering. He inwardly sighed, his gaze fixed on the path ahead. Why? he asked himself for what seemed like the umpteenth time that morning. Why did he have to realize that he missed her now, of all times? Why did fate mock him, and make him realize that he…well, that he regretted his decision a year ago?

Fool.

He let out a tiny sigh. Yes, he finally admitted. He missed her. Period.

_Ha_. The voice in his head was triumphant._ It takes you a full year to admit it, eh? Now all you have to do is hope she still feels the same way about you, when you see her again._

See her again…

Strange enough, the thought…_pleased _him. He frowned slightly to himself. Wait, what was he thinking? These emotions would be his ruin, like what Naraku had said last year, the last time they had fought…

_That's not true—Inuyasha protects Kagome, and he's not weak._

_-Are you saying that I, Sesshoumaru, should follow the half-breed's example?_

_No, I am saying that having someone to protect makes you strong, not weak. Remember the time you tried to kill Kagome in your father's grave when you tried to take Tessaiga? Why was it that Inuyasha was able to land a blow on you? How about when you fought Sou'ugna?_

Sesshoumaru sighed. Well, yes, having someone to protect certainly made you more…motivated…

He fixed his gaze on the sky. But why, though? Why did he have to realize that he missed her when she was gone? It seemed ironic enough, realizing that he wanted her here…

"My lord?" Jaken's voice snapped him out of his thoughts.

He didn't answer, so Jaken ploughed on. "My lord, might I ask where we are going?"

He didn't answer again. Had Jaken noticed that the forest they were in was the forest of Inuyasha? Hn, how very observant of him.

Up ahead, he could see a break in the trees. There was a line of light from the trunks. Several minutes later, they were through the trees and in a familiar clearing in the middle of which was an old well…

He suddenly felt nostalgic.

He could still picture her, sitting at that well, smiling sadly up at him…

"My lord, this is…" Jaken's voice trailed off as he looked up at his lord, whose eyes were unfathomable.

Sesshoumaru stared at the well for a second. Sunlight spilled into the clearing. He could hear the birds chirping incessantly in the trees, he could feel the breeze blowing softly against him. As he stared at the well, he couldn't help but wonder if she would suddenly climb out of it…

"My lord?" Jaken said again. Even Rin was looking at Sesshoumaru with curious eyes. She knew what this place was—she had been here herself, when Helen brought her to the Modern Era so many months ago…

Jaken looked up at his lord with foreboding. Ever since Helen had left, it could not be denied that his lord had appeared, well, listless. If he didn't know any better, the toad would have thought that his lord _missed _the girl. Jaken didn't think this was the case, but what would his lord want in a place like this?

"My lord?" the imp asked again.

Sesshoumaru turned his attention from the well to Jaken. "Gah!" Jaken gasped, falling to his knees on the ground. "I'm sorry for asking, Lord Sesshoumaru! I knew I shouldn't have pestered you with my questions and—"

"Stay here with Rin," he said coldly as he walked away from them, towards Kaede's village.

"Huh?" Jaken said, blinking. "Lord Sesshoumaru, where are you—!"

Before Jaken could finish his sentence, he was silenced by a pebble that struck him on the forehead.

**XoXoXo**

"We're setting out today, and I don't want any more delays!" Inuyasha's voice was far too loud, and far too harsh for the early morning.

Kagome groaned as she slowly opened her eyes. She and Shippou were lying beside Kaede's cold fire pit. Sango was already awake, sitting up, her eyes fixed on Inuyasha and Miroku who were both standing next to the doorframe. Kohaku was sitting beside his sister, his hands wrapped around a bowl of noodles.

"Inuyasha, this early?" Kagome complained as she carefully sat up, pushing her blankets off her.

"Kagome, can you sit him, please?" Shippou yawned as he turned over amidst the blankets.

Kagome rubbed her eyes, and looked up at Inuyasha, who was glaring at Miroku. "What's all the fuss about?" the miko asked.

"Inuyasha refuses to listen to reason. Again," Miroku said, rolling his eyes.

"No surprises there," Sango muttered, her eyes fixed on the fuming hanyou.

"We can't go around playing heroes again!" Inuyasha roared. "If there's something funny going on that doesn't involve Naraku, then it's none of our business!" He folded his arms across his chest, as though to prove his point.

"Inuyasha, haven't you noticed?" Miroku said, sighing. "The demonic aura emanating from the moon is getting stronger and stronger. It's peaking tonight—this is something we can't ignore!"

"Keh!" Inuyasha snapped. "Does the demonic aura belong to Naraku? No! Ergo, it's none of our concern!"

Kagome blinked, wondering where he had learned the first word of his last sentence. The miko sighed, and ran her fingers through her hair to get rid of any tangles. She looked up at Inuyasha, ignoring her grumbling stomach.

"Inuyasha, if Miroku says this situation is serious, then we have to intervene!" she said. She stood up, and dared him to question her.

"It's none of our business!" the hanyou snapped, glaring at her. "We still have Naraku to worry about—Naraku _and_ the last jewel shard! We're busy enough as it is!"

"But, Inuyasha, listen to me," Miroku said, his voice resolute. "Last night, I felt the demonic aura, coming from the moon, rise. Tonight, who knows what might happen? This isn't something we can't ignore!"

"Keh!" Inuyasha's protest sounded feeble, as though he was slowly grasping their reason. "It's still none of our business!"

"What if this is something like Kaguya?" Miroku asked. "What then, Inuyasha?"

"They are right, Inuyasha," Kaede said, as she entered the hut. She was carrying a bundle of freshly cut herbs in her arms. She stood in front of the hanyou and gave him the same look that everyone else was giving him. "There have been some mysterious happenings in connection with the high rise of demonic aura emanating from the moon."

Inuyasha glared at her, a signal for the ancient miko to go on. Kaede, however, sat down next to the cold fire pit and began plucking the leaves from her herbs and placing them in a basket. Kagome and the others stared at her, blinking.

"Whaddya mean, old hag?" Inuyasha finally demanded.

Kaede looked up from her leaf plucking. "Have ye not noticed, Inuyasha?" the wizened miko asked, raising one eyebrow.

"Why do you think I'm asking?" Inuyasha snapped.

"Inuyasha!" Kagome reprimanded.

"As of late, there have been no signs of demonic activity for the past three days," the old miko answered, putting down her basket of leaves. "Every time I go out into the fields, there is always a faint stir of demonic aura from the forest of Inuyasha. However, during the last three days, those auras seem to have vanished, as though the demons were hiding themselves..." Her voice trailed off, and she looked intently at Inuyasha, who remained silent, his eyebrow meeting in the middle.

"Listen, Inuyasha," Miroku went on, his tone a little more conciliatory. "If there's a strange aura that's enough to make demons hide themselves, then this might be something much worse than Naraku, don't you agree?"

"It still has nothing to do with us!" Inuyasha snapped, obstinate as always. "Naraku is our first and only priority. Him _and _the last shard of the Sacred Jewel. When do you think was the last time we ran into the bastard, eh? _A whole damn year ago!_ And why? Because the bastard has no more damn scent and aura!" He glared at them, fuming.

"I should not be surprised by your obstinacy, Inuyasha." A cold voice said. A second later, a draft blew aside the bamboo mat that covered the doorframe to reveal none other than Sesshoumaru. "As they say—only fools disregard reason. But you surprise me all the time, _little_ brother."

"_Sesshoumaru?!"_ Everyone—with the exception of Kaede—shouted, their eyes wide with shock. The effect of Sesshoumaru's appearance was instantaneous. Inuyasha's hand automatically flew to the hilt of Tessaiga, and Miroku's hand went to the beads of his Wind Tunnel. Sango stood up and positioned herself in front of Kohaku, Hiraikotsu held at the ready. Kirara growled angrily, standing in front of Sango in her minute form.

But it was Kagome's reaction that made everyone start with surprise. "_What the hell are you doing here?!_" she roared, pushing past Inuyasha so she stood in front of Sesshoumaru, who only raised his eyebrows coolly at her.

Sesshoumaru inwardly sighed. He was right—Kagome was still enraged at him for what he did to Helen. "Kagome!" Inuyasha snapped, now drawing his Tessaiga from its sheath. "What are you doing? Get behind me!"

But Kagome ignored him, her blazing eyes fixed on Sesshoumaru. "Wait, it's good that you're here," she said, her voice high with sarcasm. "Inuyasha—lop off his head!"

Inuyasha stared at her, as though she had lost her mind. "What're you waiting for?" the miko snapped, turning her burning glare to him. Inuyasha inwardly cringed—the look in her eyes...it was scarier than Sesshoumaru's!

"Are you hungry or something?" the hanyou mumbled. It seemed that Sesshoumaru had been forgotten in the light of Kagome's wrath.

Kagome's glare intensified, making the hanyou cringe. She ignored him, and turned to Sesshoumaru, who stood there, still looking apathetically at her.

"Cease your foolish talk, miko," Sesshoumaru said, his voice colder than normal. "As if a mere half-breed can lay a finger on I."

"Why you arrogant—!" Inuyasha began.

"My business is not with you, little brother," Sesshoumaru said, his gaze still fixed on the seething Kagome. "But with the miko."

They all stared at each other, even Kaede looked puzzled. Usually, Sesshoumaru having business with Kagome only meant one thing...

"But _I _don't have any business with _you_," Kagome snapped. "You might as well leave. Oh, wait, don't go—Inuyasha has to kill you first!"

"I need you to do something for me," the demon lord went, wholly ignoring the ranting priestess.

"No way in hell will I do anything for _you_!" Kagome snapped. "The only thing I'll do for you is chopping off that bloated head of yours!"

"I need you to bring her back."

"Why would I—wait...bring her back?" Kagome looked at him, blinking. She knew to whom the pronoun referred, as did everyone else in the hut. They all stared at Sesshoumaru as though he were wearing a frilly pink tutu. They were thoroughly flabbergasted.

Kagome was the first one to snap out of it, shaking her head vigorously. "Bring..._Helen_ back?"

Sesshoumaru raised an eyebrow. "Who else?"

Kagome blinked again, wondering whether or not she was still asleep. She shook her head for a moment then glared at him. "Who do you think you are?!" the miko roared, her fury peaking. "First you _kiss_ her"—Sesshoumaru stared at her, inwardly surprised; how the hell did she know _that_?—"then you _reject_ her, leaving her bleeding! And then when she's finally getting better, you _send her away_! And now, you want me to _bring her back?! _Over my dead body, you bipolar bastard!"

He stared at her, secretly amused by her ranting. "Yes." He glared at her. "Bring her back." If there was one thing he learned, it was that he could get whatever he wanted when he was being intimidating.

"Over my dead body!"

Okay—maybe the intimidation wouldn't work this time.

He placed a hand on the hilt of his Ryuko. "That can be easily arranged," he said coldly, his eyes frozen blocks of ice. If intimidation didn't work, then threats would.

Inuyasha shoved Kagome aside, and held Tessaiga in front of him, glaring at his elder brother. "You bastard, I'll kill you for threatening Kagome!" he roared.

Okay, if threats were out, reverse psychology was in. He sheathed his sword. "Very well, Inuyasha, miko," he said, turning on his heel and pushing aside the bamboo mat hung over the door. "Refuse. It is not my problem if she dies."

He walked out the door and stepped into the warm sunshine. Several villagers stared at him. They were used to seeing demons in the village, but they had never seen him, and were wary about him. Sesshoumaru had not taken several steps, when Kagome's voice called out, somewhat grudgingly, after him.

"Wait!"

He inwardly smirked. He knew he always got what he wanted.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - -

"So you know something about the ring around the moon?" Miroku asked Sesshoumaru.

They were gathered underneath Goshinboku, in the forest of Inuyasha, the safest place to be in case Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha got into another bout of sibling rivalry. Shippou and Kohaku were playing with Rin at the other side of the clearing with Ah-Un, Kirara and a complaining Jaken to watch over them. Sesshoumaru was leaning idly against the Goshinboku, his arms folded across his chest, his cold eyes fixed on the monk. Kagome and the others were sitting in a half-circle, the opening of their little circle facing the demon lord.

"What do you know about it?" Miroku asked, making his tone more respectful.

"Tonight, the ring around the moon will be complete," he said, his gaze fixed on the clear blue skies above. "And then, she will be free." Her...the woman his mother claimed was far more powerful than he himself. Interesting. "Which is why you will bring her back." He lowered his cold gaze to Kagome, who continued to stare angrily at him.

"Why?" she snapped. "What does Helen have to do with this? And, if you think that I'm bringing her back for you to hurt her _again_, then you have another thing coming!" She glared at him, as though daring him to contradict her.

"You _will_ bring her back," he said coldly, his tone insouciant.

Kagome stood up, and glared at him. "No," she snapped. "I would never bring her back so you can hurt her again!"

Sesshoumaru only narrowed his eyes at her as a tense silence fell on them all. Inuyasha, Miroku and Sango looked from Kagome to Sesshoumaru, expecting a fight to break out. Their belief that an inevitable physical confrontation was so strong, Inuyasha's hand inched to his Tessaiga. To their surprise, it was Sesshoumaru who broke the silence.

"You _will_ bring her back," he said again. His tone was so cold, they were surprised that the Goshinboku he was leaning against didn't freeze over. "And as to your asinine notion about me harming her..."

"Don't you tell me that you won't!" Kagome snapped. "You've harmed her enough in the past!"

He glared at her. "I will not harm her," he said quietly and went on before Kagome could interrupt. "Unfortunately, Lady Shinsuke and my honorable mother have asked me to protect her."

They stared at him, surprised at that he would candidly admit to protecting someone. "What do you mean?" Miroku asked, raising an eyebrow at him. "According to Kagome, Helen is perfectly fine and perfectly safe in the Modern Era."

"She is not."

Even Kagome looked bewildered. "What do you mean?" she finally asked, albeit grudgingly.

"You ignorant fools," he said.

"What?!" Inuyasha roared, standing up and glaring.

Miroku looked more thoughtful than insulted as he looked at Sesshoumaru with understanding in his eyes. "You mean the ring around the moon?" the monk guessed.

Sesshoumaru gave the most infinitesimal of nods. "Obviously."

"What do you know about it?" Sango asked, her eyes darting to Inuyasha and Kagome, both of whom were still standing up and glaring at the demon lord.

Sesshoumaru stared at Miroku. "Monk, have you heard of a demoness named Sokoro?"

Miroku wrinkled his brow as he dredged up memories. "Sokoro," he muttered to himself. "Sokoro...the name rings a bell, but I can't remember..." He frowned then his eyes widened. "Of course, she was the celestial demoness who was sealed on the moon! But that's as far as I know."

"How pitifully ignorant of you."

Miroku glared at him, and Sesshoumaru went on. "The four cardinal demon lords and ladies of the land combined their power to seal her away," he said nonchalantly. "After half a millennia, the seal would weaken, and she would seek revenge."

"But what does have to do with Helen?" Kagome said grudgingly, still incensed at him.

Sesshoumaru raised an eyebrow at her. Why was he still here explaining anyway? If these fools couldn't figure it out, they were hopeless.

"This Sokoro wants revenge on the offspring of those who sealed her away, doesn't she?" Sango asked thoughtfully.

Sesshoumaru stared at her. Well, not everyone in Inuyasha's group was an idiot, then. "Yes," he said indifferently, as though it did not bother him, which it probably didn't.

"But Helen's safe," Kagome said. "She's not even in Japan anymore!"

Sesshoumaru looked sharply at her. "What do you mean?"

Kagome rolled her eyes contemptuously at him. "After you sent her away," she said through gritted teeth. "She went back to the States, naturally."

"Then make her come back."

"I think I explained to you how far away the States is!" Kagome snapped.

"I do not care."

She glared at him. The jerk! "Well, sorry to say this, Sesshoumaru," Kagome snapped, not sounding sorry at all. "But, in case you're too dense to know—Helen hates your guts!"

Everyone stared at her, and then at Sesshoumaru, who only raised his eyebrows at her. Helen, _hate_ him? As if she had the capability to hate him. It was something that was heinously beyond her abilities.

He raised his eyebrows at Kagome, who only fumed. "What?" the miko snapped. "You don't think she hates your guts?"

"No."

Even Sango fumed. The conceited bastard!

"Well, earth to Sesshoumaru!" Kagome snarled. "After everything you did to her, she hates your guts!"

Before Sesshoumaru could even retort, Miroku interrupted. "I don't get it," he said. "If this Sokoro wants revenge on the offspring of those who sealed her away...wouldn't that mean she'd be after you and Lord Toshimaru as well?"

"Yes," he said, turning his gaze back to the pugnacious Kagome. "Now bring her back."

Kagome glared at him. "Sokoro wouldn't have a chance of finding her in another time," she snapped. "Especially if she's in another country!"

"Do not underestimate Sokoro," he said, much to their surprise. "She will find her."

"Well, if that's the case," Kagome seethed. "Inuyasha and I will protect her." Inuyasha looked as though he wanted to protest, but thought better of it when he saw death screaming from Kagome's brown eyes.

"Incompetent."

"What?!" Inuyasha roared, shaking a fist at his brother.

Kagome glared at him then an idea hit her. "Okay, Sesshoumaru," the miko agreed, nodding. "I'll call her for you, and you can tell her yourself." Everyone looked at Kagome, surprised and astounded. What was the miko playing at?

Sesshoumaru stared, almost warily, at her. He did not like the evil look in her eyes. He had a nasty feeling that she had something in store for him, and that something had to do with Helen. Could Helen actually hate him now? Of course not. The idea was inconceivable.

"However," Kagome went on. "You'll have to wait for tonight, though. It's still night in the States. Meaning she would be asleep."

Sesshoumaru didn't say anything else. He turned his attention to Rin and Jaken, both of whom were in the other side of the clearing. "Rin, Jaken," he called as he straightened up.

"Yes, Lord Sesshoumaru!" Jaken screeched, relieved that they were finally leaving. Finally, he was free of the annoying brats!

Sesshoumaru could feel Kagome's smug eyes on him as he turned and left. Despite the fact that he knew the miko was up to no good, he could only think of one thing—he would hear Helen's voice again.

He frowned to himself as he and his group began walking away. What on earth was he thinking?

**XoXoXo**

It was complete.

Sesshoumaru looked up at the moon warily. The young lord stood at the edge of a cliff that overlooked a valley, his gaze fixed on the moon. The wind rustled gently against him as his eyes took in the silver-hued ring around the moon. With his sharp demonic eyes, he could see the ring glow a soft shade of silver. He narrowed his golden eyes as the demonic aura from the moon piqued.

His mother had been right.

This aura, this demon...it was something else entirely. He frowned as he continued to look up. Suddenly, there was a brief flash of light from the ring, a light that he was certain even humans could see. And then, it faded.

Was that it?

How anti-climactic.

The light from the ring slowly faded, as well as the demonic aura. Sesshoumaru turned on his heel and walked off, towards the forest where Rin and Jaken were waiting for him. She was free, then. Soon, he would see how strong this Sokoro really was.

But first, he had to go see Kagome.

**XoXoXo**

"It's finally happened," Lady Takeida muttered.

Lady Shinsuke glanced briefly at her friend, and then looked back at the moon. Both dog demonesses were standing at the veranda that faced the garden, their eyes fixed on the sky, at the moon. They had seen it—the ephemeral flash of silver light around the lunar ring that marked _her_ release.

"Where is she now, I wonder?" Lady Shinsuke muttered. Though both demonesses wouldn't admit it, they were worried, almost afraid, even.

Lady Takeida scoffed. "What's important is whether or not she's changed," she said.

Lady Shinsuke raised an eyebrow at her. "I hope her head's not as bloated as it once was," Lady Takeida clarified.

"I see what you mean," her companion muttered. "She certainly wasn't humble during the final battle."

They were both silent for a moment. "Is something bothering you, Shinsuke?" Lady Takeida asked.

"Helen..." Lady Shinsuke said, sighing. "Is she alright? Will she be safe? She is another Era, I know this, and yet...Sokoro can be very persistent. She'll find Helen there...that is, if she doesn't decide to go after Lord Toshimaru and Lord Susanoo first, and save our children for last."

"Helen will be fine," Lady Takeida muttered. "After all, Sesshoumaru will be with her in the Modern Era to protect her. That is, if he doesn't need protecting himself."

"Oh, I don't think it's Sokoro he should be worried about," Lady Shinsuke muttered.

**XoXoXo**

"It's happened."

Sango glanced at Miroku. Monk and Demon Slayer were standing at the top step that led to Kikyou's shrine. Both of them were looking up at the moon. "Did you see it, Miroku?" Sango asked. "That brief flash of light from the ring..."

"Yes, I saw it," the monk said, nodding. "As it faded, so did the demonic aura."

They were both silent for a moment. "Do you think Inuyasha will finally agree to let us look into this?" Sango mused.

"Maybe, we can't be too certain."

"I think we should ask him," Sango said.

Miroku shook his head. "Let him cool down first," he said.

Sango looked at him, mystified. "Cool down?" she asked. "Inuyasha was more annoyed than enflamed when he left with Sesshoumaru and Kagome earlier."

Miroku raised an eyebrow at her. "Trust me, Sango," Miroku said. "With Inuyasha stuck with Sesshoumaru in Kagome's world, he's bound to come back burning from head to foot."

**XoXoXo**

"I'm not staying out here with him!" Inuyasha roared.

Kagome sighed, pausing at the threshold of her home, and looked pleadingly at Inuyasha. "You and Sesshoumaru stay out here," she said again, for what seemed like the millionth time in the few minutes they had been in the Modern Era.

"No way!" Inuyasha glanced over his shoulder, at his brother who stood underneath the Goshinboku, his golden eyes looking up at the tree's moonlit leaves. Shadows danced across him as the wind rustled softly in the treetops.

"Inuyasha, you know how excited Grandpa got the last time Sesshoumaru came over," Kagome said, sighing while rolling her eyes. "I don't think it's good for someone of his age to get that much excitement."

"Keh!" Inuyasha snapped. "Fine—Sesshoumaru's staying here, but why do I have to stay with the bastard?"

Kagome rolled her eyes yet again. "Because he's your brother, and because he might go wandering off on his own."

"So what? Let him wander!"

She raised an eyebrow at him. "And risk him revealing what he is?" she snapped. Though, truth be told, Sesshoumaru wasn't stupid enough to let the humans know what he really was.

Inuyasha pouted, knowing that he couldn't budge Kagome and her infallible reasoning. "Fine!" he huffed, turning his back on her. "But you owe me big time, Kagome, mark my words."

"All right," Kagome agreed as she went into the house.

"Hey, sis!" Souta greeted as soon as she slid the door closed behind her.

Kagome smiled at her brother. As she took off her shoes, she became aware of a tantalizing aroma from the kitchen. "Is Mama making steak?" Kagome asked as she placed her shoes neatly on the rack. She straightened up and sniffed appreciatively.

"Yup," Souta said, grinning. "Hey, is Inuyasha with you? He likes steak, doesn't he?"

Kagome nodded. "He's here...but he's outside with Sesshoumaru, though."

Souta's eyes widened. "Really?!" the boy asked, ecstatic. "His elder brother's here?! Can I go talk to him, Kagome? Can I, can I, can I?"

_Oh, great_, Kagome thought. _He's going to hero-worship Sesshoumaru, I'm sure of it!_

"Um, I don't know, Souta," Kagome said. Souta automatically looked disappointed. "He's not that fond of children."

"Aw, c'mon, sis!" Souta persisted. "C'mon! I mean, it's not like he's always around here, like Inuyasha. Speaking of which, why _is_ he here anyway?"

"He wants a death wish," Kagome muttered, thinking of Helen's possibly furious reaction the moment she heard Sesshoumaru wanted her back. She could almost imagine it now...

"_What on earth does that bipolar bastard want?! What? Come back? Over my dead body! And how dare he ask me to come back, after what he did?! Argh! Yes, tell him I'll come back—to kill him!"_ These imaginary words were accompanied by mental image of Helen with shark teeth and blazing eyes.

Kagome shook her head. "No, Souta," she said, sighing.

"Inuyasha's with him, isn't he?" Souta pleaded.

"No...unless you want a death wish."

Souta's eyes widened. "_Please?_"

_What is wrong with this kid?_ Kagome thought. "Fine," the miko said, sighing. "But don't say that I didn't warn you."

"All right!" Without further ado, Souta rushed out the door, slamming it shut with a loud bang behind him.

"My, what was Souta so excited about?" Kagome looked up. Her mother stood at the hallway, her soft eyes wide with surprise and amusement.

_A death wish,_ Kagome thought grimly as she smiled at her mother. "Oh, nothing—Inuyasha's just here, is all." No need to tell her mother about her other unwanted visitor.

"I've never seen him that excited about Inuyasha before," her mother mused, raising an eyebrow at her daughter.

The miko sighed. "Actually...Inuyasha isn't alone," she said. Her mother had no idea about what had happened between Helen and the bipolar bastard, and she preferred it remained that way.

"What do you mean?"

Kagome hesitated. "Well...Sesshoumaru is with him, actually..." Her voice trailed off, and she looked at her mother, trying to assess her reaction.

Her mother's eyebrows rose. "You mean, the young man that Helen...?"

Kagome nodded. "Well, isn't this a pleasant surprise!" her mother said. She clapped both her hands together, and beamed at her only daughter, whose eyebrow twitched involuntarily. A pleasant surprise? Quite the opposite, actually.

"But what is he doing here?" her mother asked, but then her eyes widened in shock, and she clasped her hands to her mouth, as though she were excited. "Oh my...Kagome, is he here about...Helen? He is, isn't he?"

Kagome bit her lower lip. "Yeah, sort of," she mumbled. How her mother could be so sensitive to other people's feelings, she really didn't know.

Mrs. Higurashi nodded. "I'll leave this to you, then," she said.

_Thank you! _Kagome thought as her mother tottered back towards the kitchen. Mrs. Higurashi stopped on the threshold to the kitchen, her hand resting on the wooden door as she turned to look back at her daughter, a smile on her face.

"Kagome, don't forget to invite him over for dinner, okay?"

Kagome fell down, anime-style. "Er...sure..." Kagome said, blinking. She tried to imagine what a dinner with Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru would be like—messy. Very, _very_ messy. And…bloody. She shuddered, shaking her head vigorously to rid herself of the mental image. Her mother beamed at her and vanished into the kitchen, whistling cheerfully as she did so.

Kagome waited to see if her mother would come back. To her relief, the sounds of cooking grew louder in the kitchen, and the aroma from the food grew stronger. She made her way to the hall, picked up the phone, and hesitated, staring at the black receiver in her hand...

_Should _she call Helen? At first, she had only agreed to help Sesshoumaru call Helen because she knew that Helen would be furious at _him_, and that was something she wanted to see. Helen saying harsh words to him only served him right, after all. But then, she realized that—while it was true that Helen _would_ be mad—there was also a possibility that she would be hurt.

The truth was, Kagome herself didn't know if Helen _did _hate Sesshoumaru's guts. It was possible and, at the same time, quite implausible. Did Helen even _have _the capacity to hate Sesshoumaru?

Kagome bit her lower lip. She knew that there was a good chance that Helen would indeed be hurt, and she didn't want Helen hurting again, not after all the aches the young woman had been through last year. But...

Sokoro.

Was Sesshoumaru lying about her? But what about the ring around the moon, the now-complete ring around the moon? And the high rise in demonic aura...?

Kagome took a breath and stared at the phone and then, hesitating as though she were holding a bomb, she tentatively called her cousin. She bit her lower lip as the phone started ringing. What _would _she say to Helen…? Before she could even think of what to say, someone picked up the phone.

"Hey, you've reached the Higurashi residence!" a familiar, and cheery voice said.

"Helen?" Kagome asked uncertainly. "It's me, Ka—"

"Unfortunately for you, we're out, so you know what to do!" Kagome inwardly groaned. A damned answering machine. "Leave a message after the beep!" A second later, a loud and brief beeping was heard. She sighed and placed the receiver back on the cradle. Where was Helen, she wondered. It was still somewhat early for them to be out…

Ah, well. No matter. It wasn't her problem anyway. Besides, she knew that Sesshoumaru would be annoyed with her for not being able to call Helen, and Kagome wanted the bipolar bastard annoyed as much as possible.

Feeling slightly smug, the young miko went outside, sliding the door closed behind her. She looked briefly up at the sky. The moon was full and glowed serenely, its silvery light falling on the shrine grounds, giving everything a hint of silver. The wind—not so pure and fresh compared to the wind in the Feudal Era—blew through the grounds with melancholy.

"Can _you_ turn into a giant dog too, Inuyasha?" Kagome turned her attention to the Goshinboku. Sesshoumaru was leaning stoically against the tree, his eyes closed, his arms folded across his chest. Inuyasha was perched high above the branches of the tree, looking annoyed. Souta was sitting cross-legged on the ground, several meters in front of Sesshoumaru, looking up at the dog demon with…an admiring look?

Okaay…

Kagome made a mental note to talk to Souta later as she made her way towards them. At the sound of her tread, Sesshoumaru opened his eyes and looked at her. His eyes were cold, but expectant.

"Oh, hey sis!" Souta said exuberantly as he stood up. "You won't believe what I just found out! Sesshoumaru can turn into a giant dog at will! Isn't that cool?"

She stared at him, surprised that Sesshoumaru would answer whatever question Souta had thrown at him. In any case, her little brother appeared to be physically fine—mentally, on the other hand…

"Souta, Mama needs help in the kitchen," she announced.

Souta looked up at her, his face falling. "What? Aw, you're lying!" he whined.

"Now," Kagome insisted, then, seeing the pouty and stubborn look on his face, she added, "I think it's about desert…" They were having apple pie—Souta's favourite.

"Really?" the little boy said, brightening. "All right! See ya, Inuyasha, Sesshoumaru!" Without another word, Souta dashed towards the house, leaving a grudging miko, an irritable hanyou, and an expectant demon lord underneath the Sacred Tree.

"Well?" Sesshoumaru demanded, pulling himself away from the tree.

Kagome, he noticed, looked…smug—which couldn't be good. "She's not at home," the miko announced, smiling at him.

He knew it. He easily quelled the annoyance that built within him. "Where is she?"

Kagome shrugged. "I don't know," she said, her tone just slightly taunting. "She's not at home." Then, inspiration hit. "Maybe she's on a date." She didn't bother to mention that it would be far too early in America for a date.

Her words had the effect she wanted. "Date?" the ice lord asked, arching a perfectly-shaped eyebrow at her. He didn't like the sound of that.

Kagome nodded. "Yes, date," she said, sounding smugger than ever. "You know…when you spend time with someone you _like_."

"Explain." There was just the slightest trace of annoyance in his honey-cold voice.

"What more is there to say?" Kagome asked, folding her arms and smirking at him, amused at his reaction. "She's on a date. Period."

"What particular activities does one indulge in during these…dates?" He suddenly became aware of the familiar jealousy that had lain dormant in him since Helen had left.

She more than liked his reaction—she loved it. He sounded jealous. Ha! Served him right. Kagome grinned as she smiled at him, a smile that Sesshoumaru didn't like in the least. She was going to push his buttons and see what would happen—this should be interesting.

She smiled at him again, that fake and insincere smile. No, it wasn't fake and insincere—it was sadistic. "Oh, you know," Kagome said. "Just spending time together..._alone_." Sesshoumaru looked as though he wanted to interrupt, but the miko barged on, thoroughly enjoying herself. Even Inuyasha, who liked nothing better than to see Sesshoumaru annoyed, looked down from his perch to watch his omnipotent brother's reaction.

"Alone?" Sesshoumaru asked. With herculean effort, he restrained the green-eyed monster that threatened to take over. Alone? As in...alone, alone? He more than disliked it—he hated it.

"Yes, alone," Kagome said, trying her damndest not to laugh. She knew Sesshoumaru was jealous, although his icy exterior didn't show it. "On dates, you go to places with someone you like or love..._alone_," she repeated, placing a heavy emphasis on the last word. Then, more inspiration hit. "You know, places like parks, beaches, movie theatres...bedrooms."

_WHAT?!_

Kagome tried very hard not to laugh at Sesshoumaru's shocked and enraged expression. For a fraction of a second, rage and jealousy appeared on his face, replacing his usually cold mask, but he quickly schooled his expression.

From high above the trees, Inuyasha let out a loud peal of laughter. Sesshoumaru ignored him, and stared at Kagome. Surely, Helen wouldn't _dare_...? If she did, he was going to kill her. And whoever had the nerve and audacity to lay a finger on her.

He stared at Kagome, his eyes narrowed menacingly. "You," he said in the coldest voice he could muster, a voice that could have easily made all of hell freeze over. "You are implying that...?" Even he couldn't finish that sentence—and he didn't like it.

Kagome rolled her eyes at him. He resisted the urge to gouge them out slowly with his claws and waited impatiently for her to go on. "I can't believe you'd think so little of her," Kagome snapped. "Helen's not that kind of girl."

He knew that.

"Then, where is she?" he demanded coldly.

"I don't know!" Kagome snapped. "No one's at home, they've all gone out—deal with it!"

Sesshoumaru stared at her, his eyes cold. How dare she talk to him in that manner? He pulled himself away from the Sacred Tree and made his way towards the well shrine. Kagome blinked at his retreating figure. Had he given up? How very unlike him.

Then he glanced at her from over his shoulder, without breaking his walk. "You _will _try again tomorrow," he said imperiously as he vanished into the well shrine, his fluffy pelt trailing behind him.

"What?!" Kagome snapped. "Urgh! Can you believe the nerve of that guy?!"

Inuyasha jumped off his perch and landed silently beside her, quiet as the shadows that fell around them. "Bah, bipolar bastard," he muttered, having just learned the meaning of the adjective.

"You know what?!" Kagome fumed, turning to him, fire in her eyes. "I _will_ try again tomorrow. And when I do get a hold of Helen, I hope she screams at him till his ears _bleed_!"

**XoXoXo**

"It sounds funny!" Alicia laughed.

Helen smiled at her friends. They were sitting next to each other on the plane, near the window. Outside the window, serene clouds streaked by as the plane cut through the air. Helen was teaching her two human friends a little Japanese, not that they were making much progress with it, anyway.

"More than funny, it sounds _hilarious_!" Andrea sniggered. She was sitting on Helen's left, and Alicia on Helen's right. "Is that really how they say 'I love you'?" She giggled.

Helen nodded. She was genuinely enjoying the trip, though she doubted she would be as high-spirited when they landed in Japan. "Well, if you guys are just going to laugh..." she said in a mock-tetchy manner.

"No, no!" the two girls chorused. "Teach us more! C'mon, Hellie!"

"There's a reason why we want to learn it, you know," Alicia said snootily.

Helen stared at them. "Reason?"

Andrea nodded gravely. "Alicia and I are planning to teach that ex-boyfriend of yours a lesson!" she declared. Helen's eyes widened in shock. Ex...boyfriend?

"Oh, yeah," Alicia said, nodding her head in agreement. "We're going to rant at him, Double A style."

"Ex...boyfriend?" Helen asked, her voice lower than a whisper.

"The guy with the complicated name," Alicia muttered. "He's your ex, isn't he?"

Helen blinked. "Se...sshoumaru?" she stuttered. "He was never my...boyfriend at all." She had never told anyone from the Modern Era about what had happened between them—not even her understanding human mother.

"What do you mean?" Andrea demanded. "Did he do the unforgivable and _play_ you?!" She sounded enraged. No guy was going to play her friend and get away with it!

Helen was silent for a moment. "Sort of..."

"Of all the nerve!" Alicia shrieked and, if it weren't for her seatbelt, she would've stood up and stamped her foot. She banged her fists against her armrests and looked righteously enraged. "Why that bastard! I'm going to kill him!"—several people turned in their direction—"And then, I'm going to castrate him! And then..."

"Is everything alright, miss?" Helen looked up to see the flight stewardess looking at them with disapproving eyes.

"Er, yeah," Helen said, nodding. "Everything's fine, my friend's just a little—"

"...and then I'm going to pull out his tongue!" Alicia went on, still fuming.

The stewardess raised an eyebrow as Alicia rambled on. "Our friend's a little crazy," Andrea and Helen said, both sighing.

The stewardess looked alarmed. "Should I call a doctor?"

"...and then, we throw him over a cliff, and then feed him to the dogs!"

Helen clamped Alicia's mouth with her hand, stopping the incessant stream of tortures. "Er, no thanks—that won't be nece—ow!" Alicia bit her hand. She pulled it away and smacked her friend playfully on the shoulder. "Idiot, what was that for?!"

Alicia stuck out her tongue.

"If you girls don't mind, please keep it down," the stewardess said. "You're disturbing the other passengers."

The three girls nodded, and the stewardess left. "I'm still going to kill him," Alicia muttered.

At that moment, Hsia turned in her chair in front of them and grinned at them. She looked happy despite the fact that Robert wasn't with her—her fiancée would be catching up in a day or two. "I can tell you girls are excited," she said, smirking. "You'll have so much fun—you'll get to meet Helen's cousin, Kagome. She'll be so surprised to see you again, Hellie!"

"More than excited!" Alicia and Andrea said.

Helen was silent. She was excited about going back, that was true. But she wasn't excited about the _possibility _of seeing a certain someone...

"Good morning, this is your captain speaking," a cultured voice said from the intercom. "In a few minutes, we'll be at our destination. I would like to request you to please fasten your seatbelts for landing..."

Helen didn't listen anymore as she strapped her seatbelt. She felt the blood rushing through her veins, and she barely registered her friends talking excitedly and rapidly next to her...

Japan...

She was back.

**XoXoXo**

"I think he regrets sending her away," Sango said wisely that morning. She and Kagome were in the well clearing. Kagome was sitting on the Bone-Eater's well, and Sango stood in front of her. They were both discussing—and waiting for—Sesshoumaru. "I mean, he _is_ trying to get her back."

Kagome only frowned, looking up at her best friend with frustrated eyes. "It's just like before," she said angrily, digging her nails into the wood of the well in an angry way. "He tried to get her back before, remember? She did come back for him...I wish she didn't—he just hurt her, over and over again. And Helen was stupid enough to let him!"

Sango was silent. She didn't want to make Kagome even angrier than she already was, so she changed the subject. "Is Inuyasha coming with you?"

Kagome sighed, and nodded. "Actually—"

"Here." A second later, a red blur shot out of the trees and landed beside them without a sound. Inuyasha straightened up and said, "I hope Sesshoumaru doesn't come."

"Is that so, little brother?"

Kagome, Inuyasha and Sango all turned their attention to the trees. Sesshoumaru was leaning lazily against a tree, at the edge of the clearing, half-hidden in shadow, his arms folded across his chest.

"Speak of the devil," Inuyasha muttered.

Sesshoumaru ignored him, and turned his gaze to Kagome, who glared at him. "Well, miko?" he said, abandoning his tree. "Do you wish to waste time with Sokoro free?"

Kagome's glare was enough to burn a human alive. He was the one who needed her help, and he was acting like such a...jerk! No matter—if he ever was able to talk to Helen again, she'd eat him alive, the miko was certain. With this little consolation in mind, Kagome swivelled around on her perch and jumped into the well, with Inuyasha following right behind her, leaving Sesshoumaru and Sango alone.

Sango looked at him. "You know," she said as Sesshoumaru made his way to the well. He stopped in front of the well, just across from Sango and looked at her with cold, icy eyes. "None of this would be happening if you just—"

"Do you think it prudent to finish?" Sesshoumaru interjected coldly.

Sango didn't finish, but Sesshoumaru knew what she wanted to say, and it stung him. Before the taijiya could think of anything else, he leapt gracefully into the well and vanished amidst a flash of bright blue light.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

"Oh my god!" It was the miko—and she was shrieking.

Those were the first words that Sesshoumaru heard when he appeared in the Modern Era. What on earth was Kagome going on about at this time of the morning? Probably something Inuyasha-centered, to which he could care less. He only thing he could think of now was getting a hold of Helen.

"What the hell?!" Inuyasha's voice confirmed the Inuyasha-centered theory.

The daiyoukai leapt gracefully out of the well and landed at the top of the steps, in front of the old sliding doors. He was about to slide the door open, but stopped, frozen, his hand hovering in midair, genuine surprise coursing throughout him as an all too familiar voice and scent reached him...

"Kagome, Inuyasha!"

Helen...

Impossible. It couldn't be her—she was gone, far away. But the voice and scent...

Several moments later, he slid the door open and stepped out.

**XoXoXo**

"Kagome!"

Helen's voice echoed throughout the empty Shrine grounds the moment the door to the well shrine slid open, and her cousin stepped out, accompanied by none other than a familiar silvered haired hanyou...

"What the hell!" Inuyasha exclaimed, surprise on his face at the sight of the young woman standing underneath the Sacred Tree. Kagome herself couldn't have registered a better expression—she was just as dumbfounded as Inuyasha.

Helen stared at them, hardly daring to believe her eyes. She and the others had arrived a little around nine in the morning. Alicia and Andrea were with her mother, being introduced to Mrs. Higurashi, who looked so surprised at their unexpected arrival, she looked as though she was having a heart attack. After the many greetings, introductions, and questions about the wedding, Helen had politely excused herself and went to the Sacred Tree, just to reminisce about the past year...

But she didn't expect to see two of the subjects of her reminiscing so soon. Were they really real? She blinked, and then their scent hit her.

"Kagome, Inuyasha!" Helen exclaimed and, before Inuyasha could blink, she hurled herself at them, ramming into them and making them stagger back.

"Get off!" Inuyasha roared as Helen wrapped an arm around each of their necks, and drawing them to her.

"It's you! It's you!" Helen chanted. She pulled away from them and took a step back.

Kagome was still staring at her with wide eyes. "Helen!" she said, recovering from her stupor. She hurled herself at her cousin and hugged her, momentarily forgetting about Sesshoumaru. "I can't believe it's you! What are you doing here?"

Helen pulled away from Kagome and they both grinned at each other like children. "You'll find out soon!" she said. "I...well, mom has a surprise for you."

"Your mother's with you?" the miko asked, feeling another wave of pleasure surge through her.

Helen nodded. "Yes, as well as—"

"Hellie!"

Inuyasha, Kagome and Helen turned their attention to two figures heading towards them. Andrea and Alicia were running towards them, their hair bouncing lightly in the breeze.

Kagome glanced at Inuyasha and quickly pulled out a scarf from her pocket. "Quick, cover your ears!" she hissed as she draped the scarf over Inuyasha's head.

"Hey!" the hanyou snapped, but he fastened the scarf around his head, anyway.

"Hellie!" Alicia said as they came to stop underneath the tree, just in front of them.

"We wondered where you went!" Andrea said. A second later, her gaze slid to Kagome and Inuyasha. "Oh!" she exclaimed, her eyes widening.

"Kagome, Inuyasha, these are my friends," Helen said. "Alicia and Andrea—Kagome and Inuyasha, Kagome and Inuyasha—Alicia and Andrea. They don't speak Japanese well."

Kagome smiled at them and switched to English. "Hi!" she said. "I'm—" But before she could finish her sentence, the door to the well shrine slid open...

...and Sesshoumaru stepped out, his eyes meeting Helen's.

Everything seemed to stand still.

Helen was frozen where she stood.

Impossible.

It couldn't be...

He, of all people, couldn't be here...

But he was.

And he was staring at her, his eyes cold.

"Helen." His cold voice snapped everyone out of their trance-like state.

She looked at him, her eyes unfathomable for once. For a second, just a second, she was unexplainably ecstatic...and then she remembered everything he did to her.

Sesshoumaru took a step towards them. He barely noticed the two unfamiliar girls looking at him with open-mouthed astonishment. Inuyasha and Kagome glanced from him, to Helen, tensed and waiting. Waiting for what, they didn't know. They just knew that _something _was going to happen—they just didn't know what.

"Hellie?" one of the unfamiliar human girls said, looking from Helen to him with uncertainty.

Helen ignored her, her gaze fixed on him, and him alone. That would've been a good thing—if it weren't for the fact that her gaze was cold...colder than his, even. That made him stop in his tracks, just a few meters away from them. Silence fell on them as the wind blew mournfully through the branches and leaves of the Sacred Tree, making the shadows dance across them.

"Hellie, who is that?" the other human girl asked, in a tongue he could not understand, but somehow he suspected she was asking about him, since Helen's eyes narrowed. Why was she looking at him like that? Shouldn't she look exulted to see him?

"Hellie? Who is he?" the same human girl said again, her tone curiously interested.

Helen blinked, as though she had been pulled out of her thoughts, which was indeed the case. She stared at Sesshoumaru, and then she spoke up.

"No one." Without further ado, she turned on her heel and walked off, leaving them all staring after her, blinking.

What just happened?

"Hellie, wait!" the two human girls called out as they ran after her.

There was silence.

"Wow," Inuyasha suddenly said, turning to his brother. "She snubbed you bad."

Kagome glanced at Sesshoumaru, her eyebrows raised in satisfaction. "What did I tell you?" she demanded.

He ignored her. She was right, though—Helen _did _hate him. The look in her eyes wasn't even one of hate—it was one of loathing. This was..unexpected. He didn't think that she had the capacity to harbour anything but love for him, but he was wrong—she hated him. No, she _loathed_ him...

In the space of the silence that ensued, one resolve became clear to him, one resolve that he would do, even if it did cost him his damned demon pride...

He was going to win her back.

**XoXoXo**

**A1969: I feel ashamed—it's been ages since I last updated. But I'm so sorry—it's just that my busy season's started, and I'm even busier than before.  
Inuyasha: keh! I still wish we were rid of you! And I'm still waiting for the damned sugar crash!  
Kagome: sit boy!  
A1969: anyway, I'm sorry if I'm updating so sloppily. I'll try to be more...punctual, I promise! The keyword being try, okay? Hope you guys review!**


	3. Femme Fatale

**A1969: I know, I know—I took ages...again.  
Inuyasha: whatever...I'm not surprised that you're so sloppy. It practically defines you.  
A1969: I refuse to be defined in that way—take it back!  
Inuyasha: make me.  
A1969: I will, but first things first. Thank you all so much for reviewing despite my being a sloppy writer. Thanks so much. It means a lot to me! Now, for Inuyasha...  
Inuyasha: wait...what are those? Are those...pliers? What the hell--! Argh!  
Kagome: -sweat drop- Anyway, enjoy the chapter as much as the authoress enjoyed tormenting Inuyasha!  
A1969: bwahaha!**

**Chapter Three: Femme Fatale **

**XoXoXo**

Unbelievable.

Helen actually hated him.

Hn...Talk about a blow to his ego.

The noon sun rose lazily above the clouds and the wind rustled—in Sesshoumaru's opinion—somewhat mockingly at him as he made his way back to the Feudal Era, to the Forest of Inuyasha where Rin and Jaken were waiting patiently for him, whiling away the time with their favorite past time—arguing.

"Master Jaken, why do you think Lord Sesshoumaru went back to the Modern Era?" Rin asked with all her childhood innocence. She was sitting next to Ah-Un, underneath a majestic oak, patiently tying together the ends of a chain of blue flowers to make a wreath.

"It's none of your business, Rin!" Jaken reprimanded. He had a sneaking suspicion he knew why his lord had gone but, of course, he didn't dare say it aloud.

Rin placed the half-finished wreath on her lap and looked knowingly at him. "Does it have something to do with Helen-san?" she asked. She had mixed feelings about Helen, who had broken her promise by going away without even saying goodbye to her.

Jaken stiffened. Though he didn't show it, the toad was a sucker for gossip. And it had been ages since they had broached the subject of his master's love life...No! What was he, Jaken, thinking? He would never degrade both himself and his lord's honor by talking about him behind his back! Such things were beneath him, the toad decided.

"Keep your mouth shut, you idiot!" Jaken snapped. "Lord Sesshoumaru would never have anything to do with that girl ever again!"

"But didn't he promise Lady Takeida and Lady Shinsuke that he would protect her?" She looked at him with wide, innocent eyes.

Jaken was silent. "That's true, I suppose..."

"So you think he's going back for Helen-san?" Rin said, her eyes wide with excitement, despite her mixed feelings towards Helen.

"Not in the way you're thinking, you numbskull!"

Rin huffed. "I think Lord Sesshoumaru misses her," she declared.

Her toad companion cringed. "Miss her!" he scoffed. "My lord is far too great and omnipotent to go around _missing_ someone! Where do you get such asinine notions, Rin?"

"Well, it's just that ever since Helen-san left, Lord Sesshoumaru seems...lonely," the little girl answered.

"Lonely!" Jaken scoffed. "Lord Sesshoumaru needs no one! Much less a—!" But before the imp could plow on, a tiny pebble whizzed towards his head, sending the toad sprawling to the ground, a lump on his head.

"Jaken—silence." Sesshoumaru had a cold, agitated look on his face as he emerged out of the forest, his glaring eyes fixed on Jaken.

"Lord Sesshoumaru, you're back!" Rin rejoiced, getting to her feet and running towards him.

Sesshoumaru took a quick look at her, making sure nothing had befallen her since he left, and turned on his heel, towards the forest. "Lord Sesshoumaru, wait!" Rin called as she ran after him, followed by a mumbling Jaken.

Sesshoumaru barely noticed his companions as he walked on ahead, his thoughts reeling. She hated him, Helen actually hated him. Not only did she hate him, but he, the infallible demon lord of the Western Lands, was _wrong_. But wait...why on earth did she hate? Didn't she once say herself that her feelings for him were far too irrevocable to be changed? So, why did she hate him? Or maybe she was just pretending? Maybe she was just doing something all females loved to do once in a while—playing hard to get?

Whatever she was going through, Lady Shinsuke would be very delighted to know that Helen had come back, he was sure. He let out an imperceptible sigh as he walked on ahead, the shadows from the treetops swaying underneath his feet. He remembered Helen's cold reaction to seeing him again, and one thing crossed his mind—winning her back would be hard.

**XoXoXo**

"The nerve of that jerk!"

Kagome, Alicia and Andrea watched Helen pacing back and forth, her expression livid. The fury on her face was almost comical, Kagome admitted, but wouldn't dare say it out loud—she valued her life.

"I mean, what was he doing here anyway?!" Helen grumbled, stopping and looking at the three girls who were sitting on her bed.

Kagome, Alicia and Andrea cringed—Helen's tone was sharp, her eyes blazing; truly, hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.

"Um," Kagome hesitated. "He was just—"

"And don't you dare make any excuses for that...that...urgh!" Helen began pacing again.

"I wasn't about to," Kagome said, fighting the annoyance that was building. Helen's not thinking straight, she told herself. She ignored the part of her that was screaming to go and find some tranquilizer for the enraged demoness.

"Jerk, jerk, jerk!" Helen growled. "After everything he did—I'm going to kill him!"

"Er...hate to break up your little rant," Andrea said hesitantly. "But...who was that guy?"

"Andrea!" Alicia snapped hitting her friend on her arm.

"Ow! What gives?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Alicia said, rounding on her friend. "There's only one guy that could provoke such a violent reaction from Helen—that guy was obviously her ex!"

Andrea gasped and looked at Helen with wide eyes. "He was never my boyfriend!" Helen snapped, rounding on them. Alicia and Andrea cringed on the bed—Helen's eyes burned with the wrath of hell itself!

"So, he played you?" Alicia asked, scandalized.

"Omigod, we're going to kill him, Double A style!" Andrea declared, clenching her fists in determination.

Kagome took the momentary lull to speak up. "Um...Helen?" she asked hesitantly. "Why do I get the feeling that you're not over Sesshoumaru?"

Helen glared at Kagome who twitched. _I shouldn't have said that! _ Kagome thought, sweat-dropping at the murderous look in her cousin's eyes.

"I am so over him!" Helen snapped. "You can ask Alicia and Andrea."

"Eh?" the two girls said, looking at Helen. "Despite the fact that you've found—"

Helen glared.

"What we mean to say is that you are _definitely_ over him!" the duo chorused. _She is so not over him, _they thought.

**XoXoXo**

"And what brings you here, Lord Sesshoumaru?" Lady Shinsuke asked. She stood on the veranda, her eyes fixed on the setting sun. Now, she turned her gaze from the incandescent sunset to the demon lord who stood like ice in the middle of her study.

"I thought you would be most interested to know that your daughter has returned," Sesshoumaru said blandly.

Lady Shinsuke merely nodded and turned her gaze back to the sun, a faraway look in her eyes. A second later, her eyes widened in shock, and she turned back to Sesshoumaru, gyrating so fast that she appeared blurred.

"What?!" she exclaimed, striding into the room. "What did you say?"

"Your daughter has returned," Sesshoumaru repeated. Normally, he would never repeat himself—indeed, he never needed to—but in this case, he was willing to make an exception.

"Helen—back?" she asked, her lower lip trembling. "As in...back back?"

Sesshoumaru inwardly sighed. What was it with women and repetitions? "Yes," he said firmly. "She has returned—but she is still in the present."

Lady Shinsuke nodded and turned back to the veranda. Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes at her back. There was something about her stance that seemed out of character for her. Now, what was it? A second later, he knew. She was worried. Sure, she had been worried about Helen several times in the past year, but this kind of worrying seemed...different somehow. More intense. He presumed this was about Sokoro.

"Why now?" Lady Shinsuke muttered to herself, looking up at the blazing sky. "I've dreamed of hearing you say those words, did you know?" She looked over her shoulder at Sesshoumaru, who looked dispassionately back at her. "Now I wish you hadn't said them."

"You do not want her back?"

"Yes," she muttered, looking back up at the sky. "I'd rather she were far away as possible...away from Sokoro."

Sesshoumaru scowled. Really, all this fuss over Sokoro? Was she really that powerful? Or maybe his mother and Lady Shinsuke were merely exaggerating?

"I can sense your scorn," Lady Shinsuke said, smiling slightly without looking at him. "Do you think, Lord Sesshoumaru, that, just because Sokoro is a woman, she can be easily defeated?"

He was silent.

"Then I hope you will think otherwise," Lady Shinsuke went on. "Sokoro is extremely powerful. She is a master at deception—she can make you believe just about everything she wants you to believe. She has complete control over illusions and can appear in any guise she so desires. As a fighter, there is no one to rival her. In power, she was equal with the gods. And she also happens to be very, very, very seductive."

"Is that all?" Sesshoumaru scoffed.

Lady Shinsuke was silent. "I do hope, Lord Sesshoumaru, that you and Helen don't have to find out for yourselves. In fact, I hope Sokoro never hears of your...feelings for Helen—Sokoro can make you hate each other irrevocably."

"Your daughter already hates me," Sesshoumaru pointed out.

Lady Shinsuke only smiled. "Well, both of you will have plenty of time to talk about your issues, won't you?" she said knowingly. "Especially since I want you to bring her to me, please—tomorrow."

Sesshoumaru raised an eyebrow.

Lady Shinsuke was sending him on a suicide mission, he was certain.

**XoXoXo**

"So Helen's back?" Sango asked.

Night had fallen by the time Kagome and Inuyasha had returned to the Feudal Era. They were all sitting around a small fire, just near the outskirts of Kaede's village.

Kagome nodded. "She came here for her mother's wedding," she said.

Sango looked thoughtful. "Her mother's wedding? You mean, your aunt?"

Once again, Kagome nodded and grinned. Helen—after her marathon two hour rant about _him_—had told her the good news. She wanted to tell her friends about being a bridesmaid, but decided it could wait. After all, there were more pressing issues to address at the moment.

"I see," Sango went on. "Wait...you mentioned Sesshoumaru ran into Helen? How did she take it?" Everyone looked expectantly at Kagome. If there was one piece of gossip that caught everyone's attention aside from Kagome's dilemma with Inuyasha and Kikyou, and Miroku's womanizing, it was Helen and Sesshoumaru's predicament.

Miroku cleared his throat, not giving Kagome the chance to answer. "It's obvious that Helen was more than delighted to see Sesshoumaru again," the monk said knowingly. Kagome scowled at him, while Inuyasha raised an eyebrow. "After all, we all know how in love with him she is."

"She snubbed him bad," Inuyasha corrected.

Miroku nodded, but that didn't deter him from plowing on. "She only wishes to, how do you say, begin the chase," the monk said knowingly.

Sango scowled at him, while Kagome looked petulant. "And what do you mean by that?" Sango demanded, flicking Kirara's ear with her thumb, a sign of pure annoyance.

"It is natural for women to have men chase them," Miroku said.

Kagome glanced at Shippou, who was hanging on to Miroku's every word with rapt eyes. "Miroku," Kagome growled.

"Go on," Inuyasha encouraged, intrigued.

"You see, the more intense the chase, the more intense the passion," Miroku said, grinning.

Sango and Kagome looked scandalized and enraged. The unscrupulous lecher!

"Huh?" Shippou asked, tilting his head in ignorance. "What does Miroku mean by that, Kagome?"

Before Kagome and Sango could react, Miroku went on. "You see, Shippou, Lord Sesshoumaru will have a hard time wooing Helen, after everything he's done to her," the lecherous monk said. Inuyasha sniggered, enjoying the outraged looks on Sango and Kagome's faces.

"So?" Shippou asked.

"Miroku, stop it!" Sango snapped.

Miroku ignored her. "Shippou, the harder you strive to get something, the more you'll cherish it," Miroku said. "Lord Sesshoumaru—"

"Shut up, you pervert!" Sango and Kagome shrieked, the former hitting him on the head with Hiraikotsu, the latter, whacking his shoulder with Inuyasha's Tessaiga.

"Hey!" Inuyasha snapped, glaring at a murderous Kagome. "Gimme back my Tessaiga!"

**XoXoXo**

Helen couldn't sleep.

As a dog demoness, she really didn't need much sleep, but—having lived more as a human than a demon—she was used to retiring at night. But tonight, sleep eluded her. Helen lay awake in bed, her eyes fixed on the dark ceiling, fingering the _Hitoku Ishi_ she wore.

She sighed as she turned over in bed, listening to the soft snores of two of her best friends. Why she couldn't sleep wasn't so hard to guess—it was because of Sesshoumaru...obviously.

The baka...

If he hadn't shown up, she wouldn't be acting like this. She'd probably be even happy about being in Japan. But what does fate do? It mocks her and places Sesshoumaru directly in front of her. She let out a little growl as she thought of him.

_The jerk...who does he think he is? After everything he did to me, he had the nerve to come to the Modern Era! Wait...he couldn't possibly have known that I'd be coming back, so...why _did_ he come back?_

_-Maybe he was trying to call you? Like he did last time?_

Huh? Since when did she get a little voice in her head?

_Whatever—I could care less about that jerk._

_-Riiight. Lie to yourself._

_It_ is _true!_ Helen argued._ I could care less about him—I'm sure I'm over him. I mean, why on earth would I start over again if I wasn't?_

-_You're not a very good liar, did you know?_

_You're wrong. I don't...love him anymore, so shut up!_

_-..._

_Arguing with myself,_ Helen thought. _Never a good sign._

She sighed and sat up in bed, looking around the dim room. It was easy—very easy—to see in the dark with demonic eyes.

Alicia and Andrea were both sleeping on different cots near the wall. Andrea was snoring, her mouth hanging open, a hand dangling off the edge of the bed. Alicia was the exact opposite. She looked like a paragon, both her hands folded quaintly on her stomach, her mouth closed, her face peaceful. She did not snore.

Helen smiled, suppressing the giggle that threatened to escape. She sighed again as she slid out of bed, carefully making her way towards the window. She carefully slid it open and climbed onto the windowsill. She reached out towards the eaves of the roof with both her hands and very easily swung up onto the roof.

She sighed as she stood on the roof. The city of Tokyo was still ablaze with lights, albeit dim. In the distance, she could make out the sounds of miscellaneous city life. The lights and the sounds would have bothered her before, but not anymore—she had learned to filter them out.

As the cool night wind blew through her hair, she allowed her mind to wander. But then she stopped. She didn't want her mind to wander—it would only stray somewhere she didn't want it to stray. She sighed and folded her legs beneath her as she sat on the roof, looking up at the twinkling stars.

Why? She asked herself. Why did she still feel so...angry about seeing Sesshoumaru again? Was it because...she wasn't really over him? No, she told herself. She was over him—she was sure of it. After all, she'd already started over again. Wasn't that a sign that she had forgotten all about him?

_This is so perplexing! _Helen thought angrily as she drew her knees to her chin. She wrapped her arms around them and continued looking up at the stars, her sigh mingling with the wind. She stared at the city lights and closed her eyes._ I wish he was here..._

And then, she felt a pair of eyes on her.

She opened her eyes as the wind blew towards her, carrying an all too familiar scent with it.

"Helen."

Quick as a flash, Helen stood up and spun around. Sesshoumaru stood behind her, his silken locks blowing softly in the breeze, his cold gaze fixed wholly on her.

Helen felt her temperature flare. "What. Are. You. Doing. Here?" she enunciated, her eyes glaring.

He raised an eyebrow at her. Really...you'd think she would be a little more courteous, but no. How, Sesshoumaru asked himself, did he manage to fall for someone with a temperamental nature such as hers?

"I do not have to answer to the likes of you," he said, letting contempt creep into his voice.

She glared at him. "Well," she said, narrowing her eyes at him. "If you have nothing better to do, then I suggest you leave. As in, now. Oh, and when you do leave," she added. "Do us both a favor and go find yourself a nice cliff, okay? One with sharp rocks at the bottom."

He ignored her pugnacious remark. "You're coming with me," he said.

She raised her eyebrows at him and folded her arms across her chest. "And why should I?"

Helen was being difficult, Sesshoumaru noted. He was sorely tempted—very, very tempted—to just knock her out and drag her back to the Feudal Era; but if he did that, she would be even angrier with him than she already was—and inciting her temper wasn't really the best way to win her back.

"Because I wish it." Arrogant as always.

"Well, I'm not going back if you want me to go back!" she snapped. The nerve of him! "I didn't come all the way back to Japan just to go back to the likes of you!"

That remark hit his ego. Well, if she wanted contempt, he'd give her contempt.

"And what makes you think that _I _desire your return?" Sesshoumaru sneered, momentarily forgetting about winning her back.

Helen blinked at him, feeling somewhat mortified. Fine, she was a little to assuming. "Then why are you here?" she snapped. "If you have no business being here, then go away!"

He turned his back on her, intent on making one great lunge from the roof towards the Well Shrine. "It is Lady Shinsuke who requests your presence."

Helen blinked, and then Sesshoumaru was gone.

**XoXoXo**

"I'm back!" Kagome called cheerfully the next morning as she rushed into the house. She had managed to persuade—as in, threaten—Inuyasha to let her come back on the grounds that Helen had returned.

"Good morning, Kagome!" her mother greeted as she walked into the kitchen, the mouth-watering aroma of eggs and fish hovering around her. Her mother wasn't alone—Helen's mother, their grandfather and Souta were all sitting at the little table. Aunt Hsia was sipping a cup of coffee with one hand while she held a pocketbook with her other; Grandpa was reading the newspaper, mumbling something about the need for new diseases, while Souta was digging into his eggs.

Aunt Hsia looked up, and smiled. "Hello, Kagome," she greeted. "I assume Helen already told you the news?"

Kagome beamed at her as she sat down at the table. "She did!" _After her two-hour rant_. "Thank you so much, Aunt Hsia!"

Her aunt smiled. "I wouldn't dream of having a wedding if you weren't one of my bridesmaids!" her aunt said, chuckling as she buried herself in her book again.

"Kagome, I've found a new disease for you!" her grandfather said, looking up from the paper he was reading.

Kagome sighed as her mother placed a dish of eggs and a bowl of rice in front of her. "What now, Grandpa?" she asked.

"Apraxia!" Grandpa said.

She gave him a blank look. "Not making sense of anything!" Grandpa expounded. "It's perfect!"

"I don't really think you'll need it, sis," Souta said, looking up from his plate. "It's a Saturday."

Kagome nodded. "I nearly forgot about that. Ah well—I can spend time catching up with Helen!"

As if on cue, all four people in the room looked at her. "What?" she asked. Their eyes were unnerving.

"You haven't run into Helen yet, have you?" Souta asked cautiously.

Kagome, who was about to pick up her chopsticks, stopped. "What do you mean?" she asked. Did something happen while she was away?

"Helen has been very angry since last night," Grandpa said in a voice that was meant to be low, but, unfortunately, wasn't.

"I heard that!" a loud voice called from upstairs. Kagome bit her lip as she felt the sharp rise in Helen's demonic aura. Scary!

"Has anything happened?" Kagome whispered.

"Not anything we know about," Aunt Hsia said, sighing. "I woke up, met her at the foot of the stairs, and she was growling, mumbling something about stupid lords and the like."

Ah, stupid lords. Therein lay the crux. Kagome made a mental note to throttle Sesshoumaru if ever she got the chance. Helen wasn't normally temperamental and sulky, but Sesshoumaru...

She really was going to throttle him.

Inwardly sighing, Kagome pushed back her chair and stood up. "I have to go see Helen," she announced.

"Good luck!" Grandpa said, raising both his thumbs.

"Eh..."

"Oh, Kagome," her mother said as she left the kitchen. "Do be a dear and make sure Helen's friends are still alive, won't you?" There was a twinkle in her eye.

"I heard that, too!" Helen's voice called out.

"I think Alicia and Andrea are both half-dead by now," Souta said. "They've been stuck up there with Helen-neechan, listening to her rants for nearly an hour now."

Forget about throttling Sesshoumaru—she was going to castrate him. Painfully.

**XoXoXo**

"You mean your ex was here _last night_?" Andrea asked, looking scandalized.

"He was never my boyfriend!" Helen snapped, once again pacing in front of her bed.

"What did he do?" Alicia interjected.

"He wanted me to go with him, jerk!" Helen growled, her eyes fixed on the floor. She suddenly remembered the way he had looked at her when she had assumed that he wanted her to go back with him. He had looked at her with contempt and scorn, she was certain. She knew him well enough. "Jerk!"

"How many times has she said that word already?" Alicia whispered, leaning towards Andrea.

"Lost count."

"Oh, man, so did I."

"Think it was over fifty, though."

"Really? I got over sixty."

"Can it!" Helen said.

"Ehe," her friends said. _Whatever that guy did, it turned our Hellie into a bitter harpy! _Alicia thought.

_We are so killing this guy, _Andrea thought. _He poses a threat to HeTo! And this something we can't allow!_

_We're doing him in, Double A style! _Alicia thought, making a determined fist.

"Look on the bright side, Hellie, we've got a surprise for you tomorrow!" Andrea suddenly said, trying to snap Helen out of her stupor.

"Andrea!" Alicia half-shouted. "What the hell are you thinking?!"

"Well, I had to make her stop mumbling!"

"And you think spoiling the surprise is the best way?"

"I didn't give away anything, did I?"

"But Hellie will be expecting something!"

"So?"

"Jeez...Never mind."

Helen automatically stopped, and turned to her friends. "Surprise?" she asked, raising an eyebrow. "What surprise?" She wasn't the one getting married.

"It's supposed to be a surprise," Andrea said cheerfully, putting her hands together and tilting her head. "But we're sure it will make you very, very happy!"

Before Helen could say anything else, the door to the room burst open to reveal a cautious Kagome standing at the threshold, a hand on the doorframe, hesitation written all over her face. "Hey, Kagome!" Alicia and Andrea chorused.

Kagome smiled. At least Helen's friends were still alive, meaning Helen wasn't _that_ upset. She hoped.

"Hey, Kaggy," Helen said.

Kagome continued smiling as she came into the room. So far, so good. Helen wasn't biting anyone's head off, then.

"I heard you were a little moody this morning," Kagome began as she sat on the bed, beside Andrea. "Could you tell me why?"

Kagome wished she hadn't asked because, a second later, Helen began ranting yet again. "That jerk!" she growled, resuming her pacing. "He shows up in the middle of the night, and....!"

Kagome narrowed her eyes. "And?" she prompted.

"He wanted me to go back with him," Helen said, sighing, as she settled herself on the floor, folding her legs beneath her. "As if I would—I'd rather date Naraku."

The young priestess glanced at Helen's two friends, both of whom had puzzled expressions on their faces. "Naraku?" Alicia asked. "Who's he?"

Helen's eyes widened. "Er...um...just some Japanese anime character," she mumbled, extemporizing.

Alicia and Andrea glanced at each other, and shrugged. "Anyway," Kagome went on. "Why did he want you to come back with him?"

Helen's eyes met her own. They seemed to say, "We can't talk about it here, can we?"

Her cousin gave a tiny, imperceptible nod. She was about to say something else, when she heard an all-too familiar voice shouting outside.

"What the hell are you doing here, bastard?!"

Kagome and Helen glanced at each other, their eyes wide. "Inuyasha?!" Kagome exclaimed, bouncing off the bed and rushing to the window, Helen following her. The room Helen and her friends were staying in faced the Well Shrine, so they got a clear of view of just who was shouting—and why.

Inuyasha was standing just in front of the Well Shrine, a hand on the hilt of Tessaiga, his expression outraged while he stared at his imperiously cold brother who stood with his back to the Well Shrine, eyebrows raised dispassionately at the half-breed.

"What is he doing here?" Helen growled.

"What's who doing here?" Alicia and Andrea said in unison as they crowded around the window. Their eyes widened in unison as they took in the magisterial lord standing before the Well Shrine, his silver locks blowing softly in the breeze.

"Isn't he your ex?!" they both shouted in unison.

"He was never my boyfriend!" Helen grumbled.

Sesshoumaru heard their shouting, and looked up at them, his eyes zeroing in on the sulky young woman standing next to Kagome. Their eyes locked and Helen glared at him, her eyes narrowed into little slits before she turned on her heel and walked away from the window, her friends following suit, all except Kagome who continued to stand at the window, her eyes fixed on both him and Inuyasha.

"What the hell are you doing here this time of morning, bastard?" Inuyasha snapped. "Looking for an early grave to dig?"

"None of your business." Inuyasha was dense, Sesshoumaru reflected. Couldn't the half-breed see that there was only one reason why he, Sesshoumaru, would waste his time in a place such as this?

Before Inuyasha could reply, they both became aware of a commotion just outside the house.

"Sesshoumaru!" They both turned their attention to the house. Helen was stamping towards them, followed by her two friends, her expression livid, her eyes ablaze. She was heinously frightening! For a brief second, Sesshoumaru wondered if he just shouldn't give up on her.

"What the hell are you doing here?!" Helen demanded as she approached them.

Sesshoumaru glared at her. Where did all the vulgarity come from? Spending too much time with Inuyasha and his friends, perhaps? Or from that America place? In any case, she most certainly was not like this before. For a fraction of a second, he wondered if he was really the one to blame for the change in her.

Pushing the thought aside, he replied, "You know why—unless you are woefully ignorant."

"What?!" Helen snarled, pushing past Inuyasha so she stood in front of him. "I'm going to kill you for—!"

"Silence."

Alicia and Andrea glanced at each other. There was a note of pure command in his voice, and they were both sure that he was the type of guy who ordered...and whose orders were followed. That and his appearance only added to the magisterial air he gave off.

Helen didn't seem fazed by the command, though. "Don't you tell me to shut up!" she snapped. "After everything you've done to me, you have the nerve to still come here! Are you really that shameless?" For a fraction of a second, Sesshoumaru saw the old sadness written clearly in her eyes—before it was replaced with fury once again.

"Go away!" Helen snapped.

He suddenly reached out and grabbed her wrists. "You're coming with me," he said. Not really the best way to win her back.

"Not in a trillion years!" Helen snarled, trying to free her wrists from his iron hold, but failing dramatically. "Lemme go!"

Andrea and Alicia gasped as Inuyasha drew out his Tessaiga. "Let her go, Sesshoumaru, she doesn't want to go with you not now, not ever!"

"This is none of your business—it is purely Lady Shinsuke's."

"Still doing her bidding, huh?" Inuyasha taunted.

Sesshoumaru—to their surprise—growled menacingly at Inuyasha, a growl that sounded both portentous and deadly. How dare the half-breed suggest that he did the mere bidding of a woman like a common mule!

Helen tensed and stared at him. There was a high rise in his demonic aura, something that even Andrea and Alicia could both feel. She became aware of her hand going numb—he was clutching her wrist too tightly. She also became aware of the danger an angry Sesshoumaru could pose. If Sesshoumaru had taken all her insults and remarks somewhat passively before, he certainly had no intention of making the same allowances for Inuyasha. This could turn into a very nasty fight with blood being spilled, swords firing blasts of power, secrets being revealed and, in short, total mass destruction.

"Fine!" Helen snapped, trying to wriggle her wrist free, but failing yet again. "I'm going with you already!"

Alicia and Andrea stared at her, mouths agape. "Hellie, what're you...?" Alicia asked.

"How else am I gonna get this bastard off my back?" Helen asked, in English.

Sesshoumaru stared at her, then released her wrist and, without another word, turned on his heel made for the Well Shrine. He slid it open and glanced back at her from over his shoulder, waiting—which was strange, seeing as he never waited before, Helen noted.

Andrea and Alicia glanced at each other, bemused. A Well Shrine?

"I do not have all day," Sesshoumaru warned as he went into the Shrine, the wide sleeves of his haori whipping out of sight.

Helen hesitated. No longer did she feel anger—she felt...nervous? About going with Sesshoumaru? Weird. She wished that he was here...if he was, maybe she wouldn't be in this predicament.

"Wait a damn minute, mister!" Alicia snapped in Japanese, pushing past Inuyasha to stand next to Helen. "Who do you think you are, ordering our friend to go with you?!"

Sesshoumaru turned and faced her. "Be quiet!" Helen snapped.

"We demand to know why you're taking our friend into a shed!" Andrea snapped, falling in place beside Alicia.

_Those girls want a death wish,_ Inuyasha thought, knowing that he should intervene, but not feeling obligated to. From the corner of his eye, he saw Kagome rushing towards them, her raven hair bouncing behind her.

Meanwhile, Helen—instead of feeling panicked about her friends confronting Sesshoumaru—felt annoyed at the direction the so-called 'confrontation' had taken.

"Omigosh, Alicia, I think I know why!" Andrea exclaimed. "Think! Boy plus girl plus shed equals disaster!"

Helen's eyes widened as a faint blush spread across her cheeks. "Baka!" she snapped, whacking her friend on her arm. "It's not like that, idiot!"

"Ow!" Andrea whined, rubbing her arm. "You hit hard, Hellie."

"Sorry," Helen mumbled.

"Helen!" Kagome called, finally reaching them. "What's going on?"

"I'm going with Sesshoumaru," she said grudgingly, her tone hard.

"What?" Kagome exclaimed. "Sesshoumaru? Where?"

Helen gave her a meaningful look. "Oh!" Kagome exclaimed.

"Do you mind if you keep Alicia and Andrea company for me?" Helen asked.

Kagome nodded. "No problem, but...Inuyasha, go with her," she added.

"What?" the hanyou yipped.

"I don't think there's anything wrong with your—ears?!" Her eyes suddenly widened. Throughout the whole drama, the hanyou had failed to cover his ears.

Fortunately, Andrea and Alicia were far too busy ganging up on Helen to notice. "What are you thinking, going off with you ex?" Andrea asked, folding her arms across her chest. "And, of all places, a shed?"

Helen, by now, had learned to ignore the Sesshoumaru-related blushing. "It's not like that," she said, sighing. "Don't you guys trust me?" She raised an eyebrow at them.

"'Course we do," Alicia answered. "It's just that..."

"Then trust me," she said. "I'll be back soon, okay? For now, you two have fun with Kagome. And maybe...someday, I'll tell you why a shed, of all places."

The two girls looked at each other doubtfully. "Oh, all right," Andrea said reluctantly. "If we didn't know you to be majorly loyal, we'd think—"

"You already thought," Helen corrected. A second later the trio burst out laughing.

"Those girls are weird," Inuyasha muttered, fingering the bandana Kagome had successfully forced on him.

"Whatever," Kagome muttered. "Now go with Helen, got it?"

Inuyasha scowled, but turned on his heel and unwillingly followed Helen into the Well Shrine.

**XoXoXo**

The air was tense.

Helen and Inuyasha followed Sesshoumaru, who led the way through the forest without throwing them the slightest glance. The ice lord had not been pleased to find out that Inuyasha was going with them, why, they could only guess.

"You know, I realize I haven't said much to you yet, Inuyasha," Helen said as they walked.

"Whatever," the hanyou muttered.

Helen smiled. She missed his crude attitude. There weren't many guys like him—crude, rude, selfish, loudmouthed, vulgar at times, hopelessly dense, proud, arrogant...but a real softie underneath it all.

"How've you been?" she asked. "There are so many things I want to ask you about! Like—how're the others? Miroku? Sango? Shippou? Kirara? How's the search for Naraku going along?"

"Judging by the way you talk, you must've led a pretty dull life back in...Amirika," he deduced.

"It's America," Helen said, stifling a giggle. "But yes...life there is dull compared to the life here..." Her voice trailed off. _But that's not true,_ she thought._ After the last time I said...goodbye to...Sesshoumaru...when I went back...It was hard to live...I spent one or two months cooped up in the house, moping...but then...I lived again._

A few minutes later, still wrapped up in tense silence, the three of them made their way to a clearing, where someone had obviously set up a campsite. The moment Helen stepped into clearing, following Inuyasha, several familiar scents hit her.

"Helen-san?!" a familiar voice said.

Helen stopped in her tracks, her eyes widening. "Rin?!" she exclaimed.

In the middle of the clearing, holding a wreath of marigolds in her little hands, Rin stood there, her eyes wide with surprise. She looked as though she wanted to run to Helen, but she hesitated, and Helen knew why. She had broken her promise to Rin—her promise never to leave again. She had left without saying goodbye...

Helen took a step towards her. "I'm sorry," she mumbled, smiling feebly at the little girl.

Rin hesitated, and then that familiar toothy grin spread across her face. "Helen-san!" she screamed, catapulting herself at the demoness.

"Oomph!" Helen staggered back as Rin's arms wrapped around her waist like chains.

"You've come back!" Rin said. "I missed you!"

Helen laughed. "I missed you too!" she said, giggling. Like Inuyasha, there weren't many kids like Rin—sweet, innocent, considerate, quick to forgive, but brave and tough.

Inuyasha grimaced. What was he still doing here, anyway? It wasn't that he didn't like Helen—he was somewhat fond of her in a brotherly way—but he just couldn't stand being in the same forest as his brother.

Speaking of which...

Inuyasha surreptitiously looked at his brother, and his eyebrows rose. Sesshoumaru was staring at Helen without being the slightest bit discreet about it, which was surprising. What was that look Inuyasha saw in his stoic brother's eyes? He might have imagined it, but, for a fraction of a second, did his imperious brother's eyes look...soft? But it was just probably a trick of the light, because a second later, the familiar icy look returned in Sesshoumaru's eyes.

"You don't need me here anymore, do you Helen?" the hanyou asked, turning on his heel and walking away.

"Wait, Inuyasha!" Helen called out.

The hanyou stopped, annoyed, and didn't look back at her. What else did she want? He was certain Sesshoumaru wouldn't try anything—like hurting her—with Rin and Jaken around. Not that he didn't like Helen—he was just edgy about the long absent Naraku.

"Thanks!" Helen called.

"Whatever," Inuyasha muttered as he walked into the forest and out of sight.

"Helen-san, I missed you so much!" Helen turned her attention back to Rin, who was still clinging to her as though for dear life.

Helen laughed. "I missed you too," she said again. She looked around. Ah-Un was basking underneath a tree, but as soon as he caught sight of her, he raised himself off the ground and lumbered towards her. And then she saw Jaken, who only regarded her warily, his tiny arms folded across his chest, his Staff of Heads resting in the crook of his elbow.

"Is that you, Jaken?!" Helen asked, gently detaching herself from Rin and running towards the imp.

"What? You?! No!" Jaken gasped as Helen easily lifted him off the ground and gave him a tight hug. "Unhand me, you fool!"

"Aw, Jaken, I never knew that I'd miss you a lot!" Helen exclaimed, making Rin giggle. "There aren't many guys who can be as annoying as you, you know!"

"Gah! Milord, save your humble servant!"

Sesshoumaru inwardly sighed as he regarded the scene with an indifferent mien. As he turned on his heel and walked off, a tiny portion of his mind wondered why it was that Lady Luck suddenly seemed to favor Jaken.

**XoXoXo**

"It _is_ you!"

The next thing Helen knew, Lady Shinsuke, the demoness mother whom she had not seen for over a year, had her arms around her in a vicelike grip. "You're back!"

"Can't...breathe!" Helen gasped.

Lady Shinsuke had met them at the palace courtyard, something which she never did. Sesshoumaru regarded them both with a dispassionate look, not really fond of mother-daughter moments such as these. He pulled his gaze away from them, and regarded the line of servants standing at the palace doors, ready to greet their now-returned future mistress.

"You've grown!" Lady Shinsuke gushed, pulling herself away from Helen to get a good look at her.

"I haven't," Helen pointed out. _How can she tell? I'm hidden behind an illusion, for Pete's sake!_

"You have!" Lady Shinsuke insisted. "Wait...you're still wearing that Hitoku Ishi? Take it off."

Helen blinked. She never really took off the stone, not even when she had been alone in the future. She still had mixed feelings about looking at a golden-haired version of herself in the mirror.

She shook her head. "No thanks," she said.

Lady Shinsuke shrugged, then beamed again. "I am more than delighted that you are back," she said, abandoning her preppy attitude. She suddenly looked grim. "But I'd rather that you didn't return."

"What?" Helen asked, confused. Wasn't her mother just gushing and squealing a while ago?

"I suppose Lord Sesshoumaru didn't tell you," she went on, as she turned to the palace. The servants immediately parted to let her pass.

"What do you mean?" Helen asked.

"Follow me, and I shall tell you about Sokoro," came the reply.

For the first time in two days, Helen looked willingly at Sesshoumaru not with rage or fury in her eyes, but with puzzlement. "Sokoro?"

Sesshoumaru didn't answer. Instead, he followed Lady Shinsuke into the palace.

**XoXoXo**

"A celestial demoness?" Helen looked sceptically at her mother.

They were in the tea house. Helen sat across from Lady Shinsuke, while Sesshoumaru stared dispassionately out the window, towards the garden. He'd heard about Sokoro before—no reason why he should listen again.

Lady Shinsuke nodded. "Very powerful, very seductive, and, above all, very vindictive," she said. "She wants nothing more than to get even with us...and I'm sorry to say her targets aren't us, we who sealed her away, but you, our offspring."

"So...she's after me...Toshimaru"—Sesshoumaru scowled, still hating Toshimaru—"the Southern Lord's son and Sesshoumaru?" Helen asked. Sesshoumaru noticed the way she had purposefully kept his name away from hers. How childish of her. He glanced at her from over his shoulder. She was looking at Lady Shinsuke, her eyebrows drawn in the center.

"But why us?" Helen asked.

Lady Shinsuke smiled sadly. "She knows, that woman," she said. "She knows that the best way to get revenge is to harm not us, but those we hold dearly...which is why I want you to leave the Feudal Era with Sesshoumaru."

"What?!"

This time, Sesshoumaru turned towards them. This should be amusing. Helen had yet to discover that he would be protecting her. Let's see how she took it.

"Why?" Helen demanded. There was such a furious look in her eye, that Lady Shinsuke raised an eyebrow at Sesshoumaru who only tilted his head slightly.

"Because he will be protecting you," Lady Shinsuke answered.

"Pro...tecting?!" Helen did not like this—she didn't like it at all. She tried to control her urge to shout.

Her mother nodded. "Which means both you and he must hide in the Modern Era."

"Hell, no!" Helen screamed. "I am not staying in the same Era as that jerk!"

Sesshoumaru inwardly smirked. This was getting very, very amusing.

"I'm afraid you have no choice," Lady Shinsuke said gently. "It's for your own good. And Lord Sesshoumaru has already agreed." Obviously, she didn't know about their issues.

Helen glared at Sesshoumaru, who only returned it with a colder glare of his own. So, the baka already knew all along? She was going to kill him for this!

"I can't imagine you'd want to _hide_ from Sokoro, Sesshoumaru," Helen taunted.

"I shall not hide," he replied. "She will be after you first—I am merely awaiting her."

"Are you saying I'm bait?"

"Obviously."

"Why you...!"

"Then, it's settled!" Lady Shinsuke said, interrupting the imminent argument with a smile. "Be safe, both of you."

Helen glared at her. How did this happen?

**XoXoXo**

"Milord?!" Jaken exclaimed, unable to believe his impish ears.

"You and Rin will be staying with Hahaue," Sesshoumaru repeated as he made his way towards the well, Helen bringing up the rear.

"But why, milord?" Jaken exclaimed as he rushed to keep up with Sesshoumaru.

Sesshoumaru stopped and looked down his perfect nose at him. "Do you dare question me, Jaken?" he asked idly.

"Gah!" Jaken quickly flattened himself on the ground. "No, my lord! I would never dare to question your infallible reasoning!"

_Gorm, _Helen thought, rolling her eyes. _He still threatens people to get what he wants...Shows he hasn't changed at all._

"Lord Sesshoumaru, why are you and Helen-san leaving?" Rin asked from beside Helen. The little girl was leading Ah-Un by the reigns. "Again?" she added, looking morosely up at Helen.

Helen inwardly cringed. She had just told Rin that she was sorry for leaving, and now she was leaving again. "It's to keep you safe, Rin," she explained.

"Safe?"

Nodding, Helen went on. "Sesshoumaru and I...I mean, _I'll_ be back soon," she promised, smiling.

Sesshoumaru raised an eyebrow at her words. It seemed as though Helen couldn't stand 'I' and 'Sesshoumaru' in the same sentence. Very childish of her, very childish indeed.

Rin, however, didn't seem to notice. "You will?" she asked, perking up. "Can't I come with you and Lord Sesshoumaru?"

"No, Rin," this time, it was Sesshoumaru who replied. "Go with Jaken."

"Yes, milord!" Rin said, smiling toothily at him. She turned to Jaken. "C'mon, Master Jaken, let's get going!"

Helen sweat-dropped.

Okaaay...

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

"Jerk."

Sesshoumaru ignored her, intently finding his way through the trees that led to the Well.

"Idiot."

Really...how did Helen get so vulgar?

"Moron."

Fine...he knew she didn't like the idea of him being with her in the Modern Era, but _he _did. Who knew she'd be this angry about it?

"Sesshoumaru!"

Smothering a smirk, the youkai lord turned to face her with an enquiring eyebrow. Helen stood behind him, silently fuming, her illusory blue eyes burning with rage. She was almost comical, actually.

"Why are you going back with me?" she demanded. "Wouldn't you rather stay here and look for this Sokoro person? What, are you afraid of her? Is that why you're going back with me to the Modern Era—to _hide_?"

Hide? He never hid! How dare she even suggest it? "She will be after you."

"I don't need your protection!"

"Who said anything about protecting you?" he sneered. "You are merely bait—Sokoro will come for you first."

Helen glared at him. The bait retort stung, she admitted. "Bait?" she snapped.

"Need I repeat myself?"

"Baka! Inu Baka!" she snarled.

He turned his back on her. "Cease your useless banter—you are wasting my time." With that he continued walking, treading his way through the Forest of Inuyasha.

"Wait up, you!" Helen snapped. He could hear her jogging up to him.

He inwardly sighed, silently bemoaning the old days when Helen just liked him...When she went red when he just looked at her...When she shut up just because he would say a word to her.

Wait...was he feeling nostalgic? How inappropriate.

They continued walking on, Helen fuming silently beside him. "Jerk," Helen muttered, feeling pugnacious.

Sesshoumaru ignored her. The trees gradually thinned out, until lines of light spilled through the line among the tree trunks, announcing the presence of the clearing wherein lay the well.

"I hope you have enough sense not to let anyone know what you are," Helen said scathingly.

He ignored her. She was getting annoying, he had to admit. Hm...was she trying to make him talk?

"Are you even listening?" Helen said. "Urgh...you in the Modern Era..." She suddenly realized the full implications of her words—Sesshoumaru in the Modern Era for an extended period of time meant trouble, trouble that came in the form of shopping for clothes, making sure he didn't do anything reckless, trying to find accommodations that would suit his royal tastebuds...the list went on and on.

And the worst part was what _she_ would have to 'look' after him.

She cringed. Maybe Kagome and Inuyasha would be merciful and take Sesshoumaru off her hands, because, aside from the fact that she couldn't stand him, it would be very inappropriate if she spent long periods of time with him...What would her friends think?

"What?"

Helen blinked as Sesshoumaru's cold voice snapped her out of her thoughts. "Are you in pain?" he asked, not stopping.

Had he noticed the way she had cringed, as well as the horrified expression on her face?

"No," Helen snapped, careful not to make eye contact. "Besides, why would you care? You could care less, remember?"

They were through the trees by then. Sesshoumaru stopped and unexpectedly turned to face her. "Care less?"

Helen scowled, her eyes meeting his. "Need I repeat myself?" Helen asked, using his words against him.

Care less? Since when had he cared less? Of course—a year ago, when had blindly broken her heart again, and again. But that was the past.

"What did I ask of you before you left?"

"You mean before you sent me away?" she asked.

"You sent yourself away." He narrowed his eyes at her. "Now, do you remember?"

Of course she remembered. She had treasured those two words..._Watch yourself..._

But that was before she moved on. As time went by, she had thrown his last words to the winds...but now they came back.

"You do," Sesshoumaru deduced, taking her silence as acquiescence. "Then you will find my words contradict your assumption."

_Is he saying he cares? _Helen thought. All this time she had been looking down at the ground, now she tentatively looked up into his smoldering golden eyes. Smoldering? She unexpectedly blushed.

Sesshoumaru smirked, making her blush even more. There...wasn't that proof enough that she didn't hate him?

_Why am I blushing? _Helen thought. She was unable to tear her eyes away from his. His golden orbs seemed to hold her prisoner. And...was it just her, or was he leaning in towards her?

It wasn't just her.

Sesshoumaru placed both his clawed hands on her shoulders and drew her closer to him. Helen wanted to push him away, but could find neither strength nor will to place both her hands on his armoured chest and shove. He looked into her eyes, holding her gaze as he leaned his head towards her, the wind blowing silently between them.

_Push him away, push him away, push him away! _Her inner conscience screamed at her. He was getting closer...

She _couldn't _push him away. Did she want him? Yes, no, maybe? No! She didn't want him! As his lips drew closer to hers, she placed both her hands on his chest—but it wasn't necessary.

"Well, isn't this surprising?" a feminine voice said, amused.

Sesshoumaru immediately pulled away from her just as a high surge of power filled the clearing. Helen turned to the voice, but found her way blocked by Sesshoumaru, who suddenly stood in front of her with lightning speed. Protecting her, she realized.

She peeked from over Sesshoumaru's shoulder to see who the newcomer was. Her mouth dropped open.

A woman stood in front of the well before them. She was incomparably beautiful, with silken, raven hair, half of which cascaded down her back, and half of which was styled into two loops on her head. Her hair loops were held in place by a beautiful jewelled coronet. Her skin was flawlessly pale, but glowed like moonlight. Her eyes were leaf-shaped, and a succulent shade of gold. She was petite, but with a figure that guaranteed men's attention. The kimono she wore was black, with long slits running all the way to her hips. It was held in place by a pink obi, knotted into an elaborate ribbon that fanned out behind her. She also wore a jewelled anklet.

It wasn't just her beauty—could it still be called that? No words could describe her—that caught anyone's attention...it was also the awesome power that she exuded.

"Who are you?" Sesshoumaru asked, a hand on the hilt of his Ryuko.

The woman smiled playfully at him. "If it isn't Lord Sesshoumaru...you're Lady Takeida's son, aren't you? And the girl you're hiding...She's Lady Shinsuke's, isn't she?" She sounded coquettish, Helen noted.

Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes at the ethereal creature before him. He drew out his sword, and glared. How stupid of him not to know who this flirtatious vixen was.

"Sesshoumaru." Surprisingly, it was Helen who spoke. "Who is she?"

"Oh, I'm sorry," the woman said, flashing them—or rather, Sesshoumaru—a charming smile. "I forgot to introduce myself...but then again, Sesshoumaru, you already know me." Her smile widened.

"I am Sokoro."

**XoXoXo**

**A1969: I hope this chapter makes up for the late updates!  
Inuyasha: it doesn't!  
Kagome: Inuyasha, shut up! Otherwise, the author will torture you again! –Inuyasha: cringe—  
A1969: thank you, Kagome! Anyway, thank to those who read...I'm really sorry for being so sloppy, it's just that I am so—  
InuKag: busy.  
A1969: --sheepish grin— anyway, I am sincerely sorry. I hope you guys aren't annoyed enough to skip reviewing! Please review!**


	4. The Ugly Truth

**A1969: long time no update!  
Inuyasha: we've learned to expect it.  
Kagome: you know, you don't have to keep saying it—we know.  
A1969: aw, but I hate being so sloppy. It strains my conscience.  
Inuyasha: do you even have a conscience?  
Kagome: remembering the time she tortured you?  
Inuyasha: shut up!  
A1969: aw, Inuyasha—I wouldn't do it again, I promise! Anyway, thanks to those who read and to those who reviewed!**

**Chapter Four: The Ugly Truth**

**XoXoXo**

_Sokoro? _

Helen stared at the ethereal creature standing before them. _This woman is...Sokoro?_ Whoa. She was...well, in short, she was gorgeous, the kind of gorgeous that seemed too unbelievable, the kind of gorgeous that made any girl want to bury herself in the ground just to avoid being compared to her. And Helen felt like doing just that, actually...

"You," Sesshoumaru sneered, narrowing his eyes at the woman standing in front of him. Fine, he had to admit that she was everything Lady Shinsuke had warned him she would be—beautiful, and, above all, powerful. But she was nowhere near him.

"And you!" Sokoro said, winking. She grinned at them before sitting down at the edge of the well, crossing her legs and smiling pleasantly at them.

Helen's eyebrow twitched. Eh...? Was she for real? Much as she didn't want to interact with him in any way, she had no choice. "Sesshoumaru...Is it just me or...?"

He didn't answer. His narrowed eyes were still fixed on Sokoro. "Won't you put that sword away?" Sokoro asked. She smiled and snapped her fingers. Ryuko suddenly started wriggling in his grip, trying to free itself, Sesshoumary realized. He held tightly onto the blade. Never would he allow an enemy to disarm him.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk!" Sokoro said, shaking her head. "You persist on holding onto it, Lord Sesshoumaru? Well, you're doing a very good job. Now, if only you held on with the same intensity to the girl behind you." She winked.

Helen's eyes widened. "What did you say?" she snapped.

Sokoro continued smiling pleasantly. "I don't repeat myself, little girl," she said, laughing. "But yes, if he'd held on to you with the same ferocity as he holds on to his sword—things might be different between you two, eh?"

How the hell did she know about their...history? The question flashed through both Sesshoumaru and Helen's thoughts.

"Silence!" Sesshoumaru hissed. He sped towards Sokoro and slashed at her with his sword. Before the blade could even reach her, she vanished in the blink of an eye. She was quick.

"Tsk, tsk," Sokoro said, appearing behind him. Sesshoumaru quickly spun around, sword aimed at her throat, but she leapt lightly into the air, hovering above him. "Do men knowingly attack women nowadays? How uncouth. But don't worry, Lord Sesshoumaru—your looks make up for your manners!"

Helen's eyebrow twitched. _Is she flirting or fighting?!_ she thought.

"Enough of your asinine talk!" Sesshoumaru snapped. He pointed Ryuko at her. "Dragon Strike!" A jet of blue rushed towards Sokoro, emanating nothing but power.

Sokoro smiled pleasantly and held both her hands in front of her, palms raised towards the jet of blue. The Dragon Strike made contact with her palms, spiralling into a glowing ball of pure energy in her hands.

_She..._caught_ the Dragon Strike? _Helen thought, her eyes wide with shock. Her gaze flickered to Sesshoumaru, who showed no signs of surprise whatsoever.

Sokoro sighed. "Lord Sesshoumaru—being the son of Lord Inutaisho, I thought that you would be fun to play with...am I mistaken?" She grinned playfully at the glaring Sesshoumaru. "Let's play, shall we?" Her playful grin suddenly turned into one of menace. Without saying another word, she threw the ball of energy that was Sesshoumaru's Dragon Strike at him.

Sesshoumaru leapt lightly into the air and landed in front of Helen just as the Dragon Strike hit the ground, sending slabs of earth and dust into the air. Helen glanced at Sesshoumaru's back. "Sesshoumaru—she means business," she said quietly, temporarily forgetting her grudge.

He was aware of that. He fixed his gaze on the dust and rubble brought about by the Dragon Strike. The dust slowly subsided to reveal Sokoro, standing there, a hand on her nubile hips, a smile on her face. "Aw, did you just dodge that attack, my lord?" she asked, sounding disappointed. "I expected something a little more grandiose!"

Helen's eyebrow twitched yet again. Had Sokoro's isolation on the moon caused her to go off her rocker?

"No, little girl, I am not 'off my rocker', as you say." Sokoro was staring at her, raising a perfectly shaped eyebrow. "And yes, your mind is an open book to me—as is Lord Sesshoumaru's!" She grinned at him.

"Enough!" Sesshoumaru charged towards her, faster than normal.

Sokoro smirked as she raised a hand in front of her. A shaft of red light materialized in her hand, stretching until it took on the form of a naginata. The light faded away just as Sesshoumaru slashed his sword at her. Sokoro parried his blade with her naginata, and as she raised her arms to do so, Sesshoumaru thrust a clawed hand towards her chest.

Sokoro suddenly vanished, and his claws hit nothing but air. A fraction of a second later, she reappeared behind him. "Ah, ah, ah!" she said as she materialized behind him. "You don't even know me, and already you're thinking of going for second base?"

_Flirt!_ Helen thought.

"Silence!" Sesshoumaru snapped, gyrating gracefully, his sword aimed at her throat once more. Sokoro parried his attack. She jumped into the air and waved her naginata at him, sending a blast of red light at him. Sesshoumaru countered with Dragon Strike, the blue pushing against the red, sending bursts of power everywhere.

"Whoa!" Helen gasped. She ducked just in time as a jet of red screeched towards her. She heard wood splintering behind her as Sokoro's attack missed.

"My lord, you're actually fun to play with!" Sokoro called as her red light pushed back Sesshoumaru's blue Dragon Strike. Sesshoumaru glared. Helen felt a surge of his demonic aura, and the blue of his power slowly pushed back Sokoro's.

"Don't think I'll let you win, my lord!" Sokoro called, smiling. The red easily pushed back the blue...

_No way!_ Helen thought. _She's going to beat Sesshoumaru?!_ Sure, she was angry at him, but Helen couldn't deny his power—and to see that power being pushed back so easily...

Sesshoumaru, however, was not daunted. He pointed his sword at Sokoro and his Dragon Strike increased in strength. Once more, the blue began pushing back the red. Sokoro sighed. "It's time to stop playing!" She suddenly smiled maliciously at him as the red easily overpowered the blue, pushing it back with ease.

Sesshoumaru held his ground, Ryuko held vertically in front of him. He placed on hand on his blade as Sokoro's attack slowly engulfed his Dragon Strike. Unbelievably, it seemed as though he was going to be overpowered...

No way in hell.

His vision became clouded with red as he let his aura rise. The foolish woman—she was going to taste the true extent of his power! But before he could launch a counterattack, the jet of red that was Sokoro's power suddenly vanished.

"What?" Sokoro asked, bewildered. She glanced behind her, above the treetops.

"Mother! Lady Takeida!" Helen exclaimed. Both demonesses where standing on the branches of a nearby tree, both their hands clasped together, as though in prayer. Helen then realized that it was them who had dispelled Sokoro's attack.

"Finish her off, Sesshoumaru!" his mother ordered.

He didn't need her to tell him that. "Dragon Strike!"

Sokoro pulled her gaze away from Lady Takeida and Lady Shinsuke just as Sesshoumaru's Dragon Strike collided with her. Amidst the harsh glare of the Dragon Strike, Helen saw Sokoro spread her arms sideways as a barrier materialized around her. The Dragon Strike swirled around her until it gradually dissipated.

"You!" Sokoro hissed, glaring at the two demonesses who leapt gracefully down from the trees and in front of Helen.

"We see you haven't changed, Sokoro," Lady Takeida said, her eyes narrowed. "Was confinement on the moon exactly to your taste?"

She glared, but then she smiled menacingly. "We shall see, won't we, Lady Takeida?" she asked. Before anyone else could blink, there was a flash of pink light, and Sokoro vanished.

There was silence, and then Lady Shinsuke spoke up. "Are you two alright?" she asked, turning to Helen.

Helen nodded. "She wasn't able to do much," she said. _To me, at least_. She looked at Sesshoumaru. He was sheathing his sword. What was that look in his eyes? Was it a suppressed anger? Of course he would be angry. After all, he had kept insisting that Sokoro was nothing more than easy prey, and he had been proved wrong. Besides, everyone knew what a sore loser the proud daiyoukai was...

He suddenly looked up, and his eyes met hers. Helen hastily turned her attention to Lady Shinsuke. "It seems that Sokoro is far more vindictive than I thought she would be," Lady Shinsuke was saying. "It's only been a day since her release, and already she strikes!"

"That woman was weak," Sesshoumaru remarked. Helen raised an eyebrow. This was coming from a guy who nearly lost...?

"She only seemed weak to you, Sesshoumaru, because she hasn't fully regained her powers yet," Lady Takeida said. "But by the time she does..."

"Wait a minute," Helen said. "You mean to say...that when she was fighting Sesshoumaru and nearly beat him"—Sesshoumaru glared at her—"she hadn't fully regained her powers yet?!"

Lady Shinsuke nodded. "A few days from now, she will regain all her powers." Helen shuddered, not wanting to find out how strong Sokoro would be when she had fully regained the use of her powers. "Which is why both you and Sesshoumaru must leave this Era. Now."

If Helen had been apprehensive about Sokoro, it had vanished. "He can stay here," she said flatly. Sesshoumaru raised an eyebrow. Really, she was being childish. Lady Shinsuke and Lady Takeida glanced at each other.

"Do you have any problems with my son, Helen?" Lady Takeida asked.

"Yes! I mean, no! I mean...urgh!" Without another word, Helen turned on her heel and marched past Sesshoumaru, towards the well. She stopped in front of him and glared at him. "Fine!" she said. "But if anyone finds out what you are and ships you off to a lab where mad scientists will surely dissect you, then it isn't my fault, got it?" Without waiting for a reply, she jumped into the well, vanishing in a flash of blue light.

Sesshoumaru didn't immediately follow her, like he would have normally done. He stared at the two demonesses in front of him. "Where is Sokoro?" he demanded. His pride needed repairing...

"We don't know," his mother said, sighing. "That woman could be anywhere, licking her wounds."

He was silent. "I will not go to the Modern Era," he suddenly said. "I will stay and hunt Sokoro."

Lady Shinsuke shook her head. "Sokoro is far too dangerous for you," she said. A sting to his pride again, Sesshoumaru admitted. "Leave her to me and Takeida."

"She is _mine_," Sesshoumaru interjected.

Both demonesses stared at him. "Go to the Modern Era," they said in unison. "Stay with Helen—if you want Sokoro, she'll find you herself."

Sesshoumaru realized the full implications of their words. "You are saying that she will come to me—in the Modern Era." It wasn't a question.

"We hope she won't," Lady Shinsuke said. "But yes, there is a possibility that she will, which is why I...beseech you—stay with Helen. Protect her."

He didn't need to be told that. He regarded them both for a moment. He wanted to stay and hunt Sokoro, but he also wanted to protect Helen. He inwardly sighed. Admitting to his feelings for her meant conflict, but still...

"You are certain she will follow us to the Modern Era?" Sesshoumaru asked.

"There is a possibility," Lady Takeida said noncommittally.

"That's all I need to know." Sesshoumaru didn't spare them another glance as he turned and jumped gracefully down the well.

There was silence in the clearing. Finally, Lady Takeida spoke up. "What do you think?" she asked her friend.

"With regards to Sokoro?"

"No—those two."

Lady Shinsuke was silent. "Oh, I think those two will get along just fine."

**XoXoXo**

What was taking him so long?

Helen growled to herself as she paced in front of the well. She sighed as she stopped her pacing. She stared up at the old wooden ceiling of the Well Shrine, and let out another long, suffering sigh. It was actually going to happen—Sesshoumaru was actually going to stay with her, here, in the Modern Era...

Great, just great! It would be such a hassle, making sure that no one found out what he was, on top of that, she had her mother's wedding to worry about. That wasn't even half the problem—the other half was the full implication of Sesshoumaru's staying here...

"I don't like him, I don't like, I don't like him!" Helen growled to herself, pacing once again. Yeah, _those _kinds of implications.

-_Are you sure you don't like him?_

The little voice was back.

_Of course not! Why would I?_

_-Then why did you nearly let him kiss you?_

Helen stopped pacing. _I pushed him away!_

-_Why did you let him get close in the first place?_

_Hey! How would you like it if you suddenly look up and find a demon idiot leaning towards you?! I was frozen stiff, okay? I was shocked, that's all there is to it._

_-Pft, whatever._

Helen sighed. True...He _had_ nearly kissed her, but it wouldn't happen again, she swore on her own head. From the corner of her eye, she saw blue light flash from the well. A second later, Sesshoumaru leapt gracefully at her side.

"About time you showed up," she muttered as she made for the stairs. She sighed as she slid the door open.

Here came the beginning of misery.

**XoXoXo**

"What's taking them so long?!" Andrea asked. She was pacing in front of Kagome, Inuyasha and Alicia, underneath the Sacred Tree. "I mean, they've been gone for five hours already!" She turned to the others. "I know Helen isn't that kind of girl, but do you think...?"

Inuyasha's eyebrow twitched. His arms were folded behind his head as he leaned against the Sacred Tree. Now, he turned his head towards Andrea. "'Course not," he muttered.

"Wait, Inuyasha, you went with them, right? What the hell would those two be up to? Playing checkers?" Andrea resumed her pacing.

"Leave them alone, Andrea," Alicia said, sighing. "We know Helen—she wouldn't do something like...that." She was silent for a moment then she turned to Kagome, who was sitting on the stone bench next to her. "True, what do you think those two are up to?"

Kagome shrugged. "Oh, this and that."

Andrea's eyes bugged out as she pointed at Kagome. "Omigod! 'This and that' is another word for—!"

"Another word for what, exactly?" Helen was suddenly behind Andrea, a menacing look on her face.

"Gah!" Andrea flinched away from her. "Hellie, you're back!"

Kagome stood up. "Helen! Finally! We thought Lady Shinsuke wouldn't let you come back!"

Andrea and Alicia glanced at each other. "Lady who?" they asked.

"Eh?!" Kagome blinked. "I mean...er..." There was a very awkward pause during which Inuyasha slapped a clawed hand to his forehead. Kagome was such a hypocrite, always warning him about being careful not to reveal what he was, but she was the one who ended up giving away clues about the Feudal Era!

"Kagome, Inuyasha, I've got bad news," Helen intervened.

"Bad news? What bad news?" Kagome asked.

"Two, actually..." Helen sighed. Before she could go on, however, the door to the Well Shrine slid open to reveal none other than Sesshoumaru, the same cold look on his face. "Sesshoumaru is staying here."

"WHAT?!" Not only did Inuyasha and Kagome raise their voices, Andrea and Alicia joined in as well.

Inuyasha glanced at his brother. "Why the hell would someone like you stay in a place like this?!"

"Long story," Helen said, sighing, as Sesshoumaru made their way towards them, standing apart from them.

"Well, you'd better tell us!" Alicia quipped. "Hellie, don't you think it's sort of improper if you stay in the same house as your ex?"

"Dammit! He was never my boyfriend! Do you I have to shout that out for the whole world to hear?" Helen asked, glaring.

"Yeah, yeah, cut the crap," Inuyasha said. "And start explaining!"

Helen glanced at Andrea and Alicia. "Hey guys, could you ask my mom when she's expecting Robert?"

"Sure!" Both girls said as they left.

Once they were out of earshot, Helen sat cross-legged on the ground. She let her gaze stray to Sesshoumaru, who was leaning against the Sacred Tree, his arms crossed against his chest, his eyes closed.

"Since someone's _sleeping_," Helen muttered. "I'll have to do the explaining myself." She sighed again as she explained about Sokoro. As she explained to Inuyasha and Kagome, Sesshoumaru opened his eyes slowly, his gaze fixed on Helen. She hadn't changed physically since the last time he had seen her, but personality-wise...

He couldn't deny that it was his fault why her eyes no longer twinkled when she talked about him. Last year, she had been kind, funny, and quick to forgive—and there was a lot of things that she had forgiven him for. Last year, he had marvelled at her ability to continuously forgive him...Perhaps he drained her reserve of forgiveness. In any case, it would be a challenge to win her back. Hn...a challenge...what more could he ask for?

"No way in hell is that bastard staying here with Kagome!" Inuyasha's screeching snapped him out of his thoughts. Hn, neither Inutaisho nor Izayoi was as loudmouthed as Inuyasha, so where did the hanyou get it from?

"Hey!" Helen snapped. "Do you think I'll enjoy it, Inuyasha?"

"Of course you would!"

Sesshoumaru glanced at Helen. There was no faint of trace of red on her cheeks. He inwardly sighed. He had to admit, he missed her blushing.

Helen glared at him. "It was a rhetorical question, idiot!" Helen pointed out.

"Inuyasha, sit!" Kagome's simple command sent the hanyou plummeting to the ground, much to the appreciation and disgust of his brother. Really, that such a simple word could so easily subdue one in whose veins ran the blood of the Great Dog Demon was disgusting.

"Anyway," Kagome said, ignoring the usual stream of obscenities that followed her command. "If both Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha behave themselves while they're here, then it's fine by me."

"What?!" Inuyasha roared.

"Inuyasha, you've heard what Sokoro's like," Kagome said.

"So?! He'll be staying here with you!"

"_I'm_ not the one in love with him!"

"And what do you mean by that?!"Helen raised both her eyebrows at her cousin, who flinched.

Sesshoumaru had had enough of the din. "Silence." His tone, always so full of cold command, was enough to make them shut their mouths.

"Anyway," Helen went on, looking at Sesshoumaru. "If you're going to stay here, you're going to have to act normal."

He raised an eyebrow at her, and she sighed. "Normal as in no swords, no powers, no armor, no kimono, and no killing!"

"Are you suggesting that I walk around unclothed?" Sesshoumaru raised a delicate eyebrow at her.

Helen blinked and shook her head, trying hard not to picture _that_. She wasn't the only one—Inuyasha and Kagome were both shaking their heads vigorously.

"No, you pervert!" Helen snapped. "I'm saying that if you're going to stay in this world, then you'll have to blend in." She held her breath—this part was going to be good. "In other words...you're going to have to act—"

"I refuse to act like a pathetic human," he scoffed.

_Did he have to spoil it?_ Helen thought. "Killjoy," she muttered. "But yeah—you'll have to do just that, exactly."

He glared at her. Never would he allow anyone to see him acting like a frail mortal. "Don't give me that look!" Helen snapped. "I mean, look at Inuyasha! See how he covers his dog ears? He acts like an ordinary boy."

Inuyasha, who would love nothing better than to see his brother act _human_, grinned. "Oh yeah, I act human all the time—I even _act _weak! Remember the time I let those thugs beat me up, Kagome? Pretty human, eh?" He wagged his eyebrows, nudging Kagome with his elbow.

_You're overdoing it,_ the miko thought, sighing.

"Acting like a disgusting mortal becomes you, Inuyasha," Sesshoumaru sneered. "Considering you_ are _a half-breed."

Inuyasha glared at him. "Anyway," Helen said. "That's that. You have to act normal, like a good human."

He glared. "Never."

"Shut up!" Helen snapped, standing up. "Not only are you being impossible, you're also being utterly _childish!"_

Sesshoumaru took a step towards her, a deadly glare in his eyes. Him, _childish_? Two can play at that game. "The one being childish is you," he said, taking another step towards her. Both Inuyasha and Kagome looked on, intrigued at the battle of wills.

Helen held her ground. "Me?" She raised both her eyebrows at him. "And how am I childish? Pray, tell."

"You refuse to obtain what you so desire."

"And what do you think I 'so desire'?" She placed both her hands on her hips, glaring at him.

"Me."

Inuyasha and Kagome's mouths dropped open. Sure, they knew he liked her, but this seemed a little...out of character for him. Or maybe the unparalleled arrogance was just a part of his character. Of course it was. They both looked at Helen, expecting her to erupt like a volcano. Instead, she had a thoughtful look on her face.

"You're right," she suddenly said, her voice soft as were her eyes.

Inuyasha and Kagome's mouths dropped even lower. They watched, dumbstruck, as Helen took several steps towards Sesshoumaru, until she was standing a foot away from him.

"How could I have been so childish, Sesshoumaru?" Helen whispered, looking up at him. "Who am I kidding? Of course I want you..._to vanish!"_ She glared at him, the mellow look gone from her eyes. "You haven't changed a bit, have you? You are still so unbelievably arrogant, I'm surprised your head isn't inflated."

They glared at each other. "Listen, and listen good. I am not asking you to _be_ a human, I'm only asking you to _act _like a human! Is that really so much to ask?"

From his dignity, yes. He was about to say so, when he caught himself. Maybe being a little more compliant would soften her attitude towards him? Perhaps, perhaps not. In any case, it was best to give in (something he did not do often) just to make her shut up.

"Very well," he said, not bothering to hide the disgust in his tone.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - -

"Aunt H, are you sure about this?" Helen asked, sitting cross-legged on the floor of the attic. She, Kagome, her aunt, Andrea and Alicia were both in the attic, going through a pile of Kagome's father's old clothes. Kagome had explained to her mother about their current predicament. Kagome's mother had taken the fact that Sesshoumaru would be staying with them lightly, saying he could stay in Souta's room (which Souta thought was the coolest thing in the world), and borrow Kagome's father's clothes.

"I mean," Helen went on. "I can always run to the mall..."

"Oh no," her aunt protested. "You shouldn't use credit cards often dear—they're traps!"

"But you wouldn't believe the limit on the credit card Robert gave her," Alicia said, sighing. "It's a shame not to use it."

"Oh, that maybe so; but why buy when you can use these?" Her Aunt opened a box filled with nothing but clothes.

"But these belonged..." Helen began.

"Oh, it's best if someone uses them!" Her aunt smiled again. "Besides, I'd rather they were used than collect dust, don't you?" She went towards the ladder that led below to the landing. "You girls take your time!" she said as she left.

"Kagome, is she sure about this?" Helen asked, leaning her arms against a box. "I mean—these belonged to your dad!"

"Oh, don't worry about it," Kagome said. "If I were you, you should worry about how to force Sesshoumaru into these."

"I feel like forcing him into a straight-jacket," Helen muttered.

"So, he's really staying here then?" Andrea asked, sitting next to Helen.

"Much to my woe," Helen said dramatically. She suddenly remembered something. "Were you able to ask my mom when Robert's coming?"

"Tomorrow," Alicia and Andrea chorused, exchanging a look.

Helen shrugged and continued sorting through clothing, trying to decide what to force Sesshoumaru into. "Do you think he'll wear these?" She raised a black shirt with the words 'I'm Stupid' stencilled across the front. "I'm sure he can't read English."

Kagome giggled. "Though it's tempting, the style doesn't fit him," she said, sighing. If she had known that she would end up selecting the Great Sesshoumaru's wardrobe...The thought nearly made her laugh.

"Are you kidding?" Andrea asked. "I think that guy can wear rags, and he'd still look hot!"

The three girls gave her a 'look'. "What?" Andrea asked. "It's true, isn't it? Yeesh, Hellie, what made you decide to give up a guy like that in the first place?"

Helen glared. "Shut up! And for the millionth time, _he was never my boyfriend!_"

Kagome and Andrea laughed. "Is anything wrong, Alicia?" Kagome asked, noticing the teen's silence.

"Hm? Oh, I was just thinking," she said quietly. She looked at Helen. "You know, your ex is strange"—Helen opened her mouth to correct her, but thought better of it—"I mean...why is he wearing armor in the first place? What's up with the facial tattoos? And the strange hair, and the golden eyes? And...doesn't he have any clothes in the first place? And...what were you two doing in that shed, exactly?"

Helen glanced at Kagome, who had a panicked look on her face. She'd forgotten how perceptive Alicia was. For a moment, she considered telling her friends the truth, but she knew that she couldn't. "Well," Helen said slowly. "He's a...cosplayer, and he's sooo into anime. The hair and eyes are natural, like his brother, Inuyasha—they're both biracial, see...ah...part albino...and...something else. And as to the clothes...let's just say that all his other clothes are anime based."

Alicia was silent. "And he's here, because...?"

_I can't believe I'm going to say this, _Helen thought. "Well, when we were...together"—she inwardly cringed—"my mom was very...fond of him, and so, he's here!"

"But, Hellie," Alicia said cautiously. "You keep insisting he was never your boyfriend."

Kagome decided to come to the rescue. "You know girls—we like denying that we dated jerks!"

"I'd never deny that someone as hot as that was my boyfriend," Andrea said, sighing.

Helen was silent. If only Andrea knew all the hurt he had put her through the previous year. _I mean, I nearly married someone else because of him! _

"Anyway," Kagome said, holding up a white sweater for them to judge. "I think we've found enough, don't you? Let's go, then."

"I still wish we could've found a straight-jacket," Helen muttered as they left.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - -

"Cool!"

The sight that greeted them at Souta's room was strange. Souta was sitting on the floor, looking up at Sesshoumaru who was sitting on the windowsill, his indifferent gaze fixed on the blue sky outside. He had obviously just answered another one of Souta's questions, for what else could account for the hero-worship luster in Souta's brown eyes?

"Hey sis!" Souta said, catching sight of them. "Did you know Lord Sesshoumaru owns the _entire _western portion of Japan?! How cool is that?!"

"What?" Alicia and Andrea asked.

Kagome sighed. "Souta, go talk to Inuyasha," she said. "He's outside, under the Sacred Tree."

"Sure!" Souta said as he rushed past them. He stopped at the door. "I'll be back, Lord Sesshoumaru! Oh, and you gotta tell me all about the dragons next!"

"Dragons?!" Alicia and Andrea asked.

"Online game!" Helen said, thinking quickly. "Just an online game!"

"Anyway," Alicia said, shoving a pile of clothes into Helen's arms. "Andrea and I have a very important call to make! Toodles!"

"Are you guys going to call Terri and Emily?" Helen asked.

They both grinned at her. "Nope!" Before Helen could ask, they both rushed out the door.

"So, Sesshoumaru," Kagome said hesitantly. "Here ya go!" She unceremoniously dumped a pile of clothes on the bed, which Sesshoumaru ignored. "Don't worry—they're washed."

He stared at her. How he despised this. Kagome may have been brave, but forcing one of Japan's most feared demon lords into human clothing was not something she was capable of.

"So, uh, Helen, I'm off then! You know Inuyasha can be such a show off when Souta's around," she said, dashing out the door, leaving her cousin to deal with Sesshoumaru and the issue of...clothes.

"What?! Hey, no fair! Don't leave me in here!" Helen shouted. "Cowards!"

Sesshoumaru turned his gaze to her as she angrily dumped her pile of clothes on the bed. "So," Helen said, sitting on the bed and staring at him. "These belonged to Kagome's father, but don't worry, as Kagome says—they were washed."

"Take it off."

Helen's eyes bugged out. "What?!" she yelped, automatically leaping off the bed. "No, you pervert!"

Sesshoumaru raised an eyebrow at her, amused. Was she thinking _that_? She really didn't think he'd take advantage of an empty room and a bed, did she?

"Not your apparel, fool," he said, sliding gracefully into the room. "The necklace."

Helen blinked. And then, much to Sesshoumaru's surprise, she blushed. "Oh," she said.

"You didn't honestly believe that I would ask you to divest yourself of your...clothing?" He smirked as her face reddened even further.

"Well, you should have been specific!" Helen snapped, the blush vanishing. "I mean...anyone could jump to conclusions! In case you haven't heard, 'it' is a pronoun with many implications!"

"Yet of all implications, why would you think that I meant your clothing?" He was enjoying seeing that blush spreading like wildfire through her cheeks. This was getting amusing. "However, I mean the necklace that you wear."

Helen still glared at him. "Why?" she asked flatly.

"To hide your demonic form beneath a human facade is disgraceful," he said, turning away from her and towards the clothes. "As are these."

"Sorry, but you're going to have to wear them," Helen said, feigning an apologetic tone. "And I so hope they give you a rash." Fuming and blushing, she stormed out of the room.

**- - - - - - - - - - - - - -**

"Why were you screaming?" Kagome asked as soon as she saw Helen stomping towards them.

"Nothing," Helen muttered.

Inuyasha, who heard everything, grinned at her. "Don't jump to conclusions, Helen," he said, sniggering.

Helen glared at him. "Huh? What do you mean?" Kagome asked.

"Shut up, Inuyasha!" Helen snapped, blushing.

"Aw, come on, Helen, everyone makes mistakes, don't they?" The hanyou wagged his eyebrows in a vaudeville way.

"What sort of mistake has Hellie made?"

Helen inwardly groaned as Alicia and Andrea joined them. "Nothing," Helen insisted.

"Oh, just conclusions," Inuyasha said, grinning at her.

She glared at him, and then her gaze shifted to Souta. Time for a switch of topic. "Hey, Souta, if you don't mind, could you go make sure Sesshoumaru wears those clothes? He'll tell you all about the dragons! The two-headed ones, too!"

Souta, who looked bored, perked up. "Really?!" he exclaimed, leaping off the stone bench.

"He'll even tell you about all the demons," Helen said.

"Alright!" Souta didn't even say goodbye as he ran off, faster than the speed of light.

"Anyway," Andrea said, taking Souta's place on the bench. "What kind of conclusions did Helen make?"

Inuyasha began laughing. "Drop it!" Helen snapped. "Anyway, who did you guys call, anyway?" she asked, switching the topic without preamble.

"Emily," said Andrea.

"Terri," said Alicia.

Helen both raised her eyebrows at them. "One—your stories don't match. Two—you said you weren't going to call them?"

"Oh, yeesh, Hellie," Andrea said. "You wouldn't let Inuyasha tell us what sort of conclusions you made, so why should we tell you who we called? But think of it this way—it's a surprise."

- - - - - - - - - - - - - -

"Sesshoumaru's coming," Inuyasha said, fifteen minutes later. He suddenly perked up. "From the sound of things, I don't think he likes what he's wearing." He chuckled. He could hear Mrs. Higurashi complimenting his elder brother, who, by the sounds of it, ignored what she was saying.

The three girls looked at each other. "Hey, sis!" they suddenly heard Souta shout behind them. "Look! Don't you think Sesshoumaru looks cool?!"

The three of them spun around and, except for Helen, their mouths dropped open. Whoa.

Souta had obviously picked out what Sesshoumaru was wearing. It couldn't be denied that he looked, well, he looked more than good, actually. He was wearing a white long sleeved sweater and black jeans. The fabric of the sweater easily molded to the muscular contours of chest and his arms, something that the bulky armor he wore usually hid. Whoa—Souta had done well. Maybe even too well...

"Why the hell are you gaping at him?!" Inuyasha snarled at Kagome, who quickly shut her mouth as Sesshoumaru made their way towards them.

"I'm just shocked," Kagome said defensively. For a moment, she tried to picture Inuyasha in the same get up. He just didn't cut it...

As he made their way towards them, Sesshoumaru had to admit that he had been apprehensive about trusting a human boy with regards to human clothing; but seeing the dumbstruck look on Kagome and the two girl's faces, all the apprehension vanished. Now, if only Helen had the same look on her face.

Helen didn't even look remotely impressed, not in the least. She looked nonchalant, which, admittedly, annoyed him.

"That'll do," Helen said, nodding.

Sesshoumaru inwardly sighed. Winning her back was going to be very hard indeed.

**XoXoXo**

"Are you sure you're over him?" Andrea asked, for what seemed like the hundredth time that evening.

She, Helen, Kagome, and Alicia were in Helen's room, the three girls ganging up on her. All of them were already in their pajamas. It was getting late, and they still felt the need to tackle Helen with regards to—what else?—Sesshoumaru, for whom their respect seemed to have strangely increased.

"How many times have you asked me that?" Helen demanded, sitting on the bed and folding her legs beneath her. "So, what if he does look...good? He always looks good!"

Kagome, Andrea and Alicia glanced at each other. "So you still like him?!" the trio demanded, shocked.

"Just because I said he looks good, doesn't mean I like him," Helen pointed out. _If only you guys know what lies underneath all that perfection. Wait—Kagome's knows, so why's she ganging up on me?!_

"But...!"

"Enough!" Helen said, exasperated. There was the faintest hint of command in her voice, something she had inherited from Lady Shinsuke. "Guys, it's getting late, so..."

She suddenly buried herself beneath her blanket. "Good night!"

- - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Helen did not sleep.

Once everyone had fallen asleep, she had slipped out the window and, once again, on to the roof. She wanted to clear her head, and only the cold night air could help her. She knew that Sessoumaru was in Souta's room, while Souta stayed with his mother.

Sesshoumaru...

She was over him, she knew that. Yet her friends insisted that she still liked him! Even Kagome! Why on earth would they be insisting that, when they knew perfectly well...

Helen stiffened. Not only was speaking of the devil likely to conjure him, but it seemed just _thinking _of the devil...

She glanced over her shoulder. Sesshoumaru was standing behind her, still dressed in the same outfit from this afternoon. Well, she had to admit, he did look good. Not that she cared.

"Go away," she said flatly, turning her attention back to the stars.

"I don't heed orders from anyone," he reminded.

Of course. "Fine," Helen said as she stood up, facing him. "If you won't leave, then I will."

He suddenly grabbed her arm. "Let go of me!" Helen snapped, glaring. Knowing perfectly well that she couldn't break his titanium grip, she didn't bother fidgeting. "What do you want?" she finally asked.

Sesshoumaru looked into her eyes for a moment. He inwardly sighed. Why was this so hard to do? Damn Sokoro—if it weren't for her interference, he wouldn't be facing this problem.

"What do I want?" he repeated. Why couldn't he just tell her? Was it his pride that was stopping him...again? Or, was it something else entirely? He sighed and let go of her arm.

Helen stared at him, surprised. She regarded him for a moment, their eyes meeting as the wind rustled quietly between them. "Sesshoumaru," she said, her tone free of anger, for once. "Why won't you leave me alone? What do you want?"

His golden eyes were smoldering as he answered her. "_You_."

Her eyes widened in shock. For once, he had been blunt about his feelings...

She didn't say anything as she stared at him, still shocked. He'd only told her that once, and after he had told her that, he ended up hurting her...He suddenly took a step towards her, covering the space between them. She looked up at him, still frozen in place, her thoughts running wildly around in her head. She was still frozen when she felt him cup her face in his hands, gently tilting her head towards his.

"I. Want. _You_," he murmured quietly, looking into her blue eyes. He regarded her for a moment and then he leaned in towards her...

No. She could think of nothing else as he drew closer. Before, perhaps, but no more. She had promised herself that she wouldn't let him hurt her again, and she had no intention of foregoing her word. So she did what she wanted to do in the forest, when Sokoro had interrupted them.

She placed both her hands on his chest and shoved. "Let go of me," she said slowly and clearly, looking into his golden eyes.

In a space of a second he understood—she had rejected him. Not only was it a blow to both his pride and dignity, but he felt—there was no other word for it—humiliated. He let go of her face, his eyes still on hers. She was giving him a determined look.

"Do you honestly think," Helen began, looking down. Her tone surprised him—she sounded both sad and angry. "Do you actually think that...after everything you've done...after everything you've put me through...do you really think that I'd come back to you?"

Admittedly, yes. He didn't answer her. She stared at him for a moment and then she walked past him without saying another word.

**XoXoXo**

"Where's Helen?!" Alicia and Andrea screamed as they both rushed into the kitchen the very next morning.

"Good morning, girls!" Kagome's mother greeted pleasantly. "Won't you two have something to eat? You're the last ones to wake up!"

Alicia and Andrea blinked. The kitchen was empty, save for Kagome's mother who was laying out plates for the both of them. "Um, Mrs. Higurashi, have you seen Helen?" Alicia asked, excitement in her voice.

"She's outside with Kagome and Inuyasha," Mrs. Higurashi answered. "Wait! Won't you two eat?"

"Later! We have to tell her something first!"

- - - - - - - - - - - - - -

"Do you want me to kill him for you?" Inuyasha asked, for what seemed like the tenth time that morning.

Helen sighed. "No." She was sitting on the ground, her back to the Sacred Tree, her eyes fixed on the leafy canopy above her. She hadn't really told Kagome and Inuyasha about what had happened between her and Sesshoumaru last night, but they easily noticed her somber mood and it didn't take long for them to guess.

"What did he do this time?" Kagome asked.

"Nothing," Helen muttered. Inuyasha and Kagome raised their eyebrows at her. "Really!" Helen said, getting to her feet. "It's noth—"

"HELEN!"

Inuyasha, Kagome and Helen glanced towards the house where Andrea and Alicia were running towards them, both appearing breathless. "Guys, what's the matter?" Helen asked.

"You two look as though you've both seen ghosts!" Inuyasha said, snickering.

They ignored her as they both took each of Helen's arms. "Hey!" Helen snapped as they dragged her off. "Guys, what's up?!"

"Robert's here!" Alicia said. "And he's looking for you!"

"Huh?" Helen said. "Oh! Of course, I forgot that he was coming today! Wait, is my mom with him?"

"Oh, she is, she is!" Andrea reassured. "Now come on, Robert's looking for you too, you know!"

Kagome and Inuyasha exchanged a look as both girls dragged Helen off. Kagome grabbed Inuyasha's hand and dragged him with her. "Let's go see what this is about. I have a feeling those two are up to something."

- - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Unbelievable.

Sesshoumaru was still sitting on the rooftop, brooding over Helen's rejection. Truth be told, he was quite unprepared for the truth of it—that she really didn't want him anymore. He had his doubts about whether or not she still wanted him and, yesterday, in the Feudal Era when he had nearly kissed her, those doubts had vanished, but now that she had rejected him...

He growled. This was why he didn't like his feelings—they were so useless! Not only were they utterly useless, the humiliation one felt when one's feelings were not returned was quite...daunting. For a brief instant, he considered forgetting about her all together. After all, what good was pursuing a woman who did not want anything to do with him?

Besides—there were plenty of women in Feudal Japan, all of whom would willingly give him their affections should he ask for it. But no—he couldn't even consider other women because, and this reasoned seemed pathetic, other women were not Helen.

"Guys, where are you taking me?!" Speaking of the devil...

Sesshoumaru stood up and walked to the edge of the roof. Helen was being dragged by both her friends towards the temple steps.

"Seriously, Hellie—don't keep Robert waiting!" Andrea was saying.

Helen seriously doubted her future father was this excited to see her. "Guys..." she said. They were in full sight of the temple steps now. Helen suddenly stopped in her tracks, her eyes wide as a familiar scent permeated the air, a familiar scent that came from a lone figure who was ascending the steps to the shrine.

From his perch on the roof, Sesshoumaru could clearly see the one whose name must have been Robert. Hn. This was the man Helen's mother was to marry? He seemed too young for her, a mere boy...

His gaze returned to Helen, who was staring at Robert with wide, surprised eyes. He watched as Andrea and Alicia let go of her arms, grinning at her.

And then, much to Sesshoumaru's surprise, Helen clasped both her hands to her mouth. "It's you!" he heard her exclaim, a smile breaking out on her face. "I can't believe it's you!" And then, much to his surprise, Helen ran to the boy, threw her arms around his neck and kissed him.

What the hell?!

It had been a long time since Sesshoumaru felt the powerful pull of jealousy and bloodlust. The familiar jealousy that raged through him grew even stronger as he watched the boy place both his hands on Helen's waist, drawing her close to him...

His vision was sorely close to becoming red. And considering that the unlucky denizen touching Helen was nothing more than a mortal...

He would be easy to kill.

Helen's voice pulled him out of his stupor. "Kagome! Inuyasha!" She called to the miko and to his brother, both of whom were running towards her.

"Helen...who's this?" Kagome asked, looking at the athletic boy standing next to Helen, one of his arms around her waist, a grin on his handsome face.

"Kagome, this is Todd Clarke—my boyfriend!"

**XoXoXo**

**A1969: finally! It's done!  
Inuyasha: give yourself a nice pat on the back.  
Kagome: she should—it was fifteen pages.  
A1969: hey, I have to make up, don't I? Anyway, hope you guys enjoyed the chapter! Don't forget to review!**


	5. Plans and Demons

**A1969: has it been...more than a month?  
Inuyasha: hell yeah!  
Kagome: tsk, tsk, tsk!  
A1969: you know things are bad when even Kagome disapproves! Sorry for the late update—my plate's far too full for me to update regularly. Damn, college is more demanding than I thought it would be!  
Inuyasha: you know, we could easily destroy that...coolage thing.  
A1969: shut up! And don't say that! Anyway thanks to those who read and reviewed! And thanks for being patient!**

**Chapter Five: Plans and Demons**

**XoXoXo**

_Boyfriend..._

Somehow, he knew what _that_ was...

And he didn't like it. Didn't like it one bit. It left a sour taste in his mouth, and a grudge in his soul. Heh, he was being overly dramatic.

He stared down from his perch on the rooftop, at Helen and her friends. Hn, she was so happy, and so absorbed with that pathetic mortal of a lover, that she failed to notice the slow rise in his youki...How stupid of her. How stupid of that boy, Todd...What kind of name was that?

He was wrong.

One person _did _notice his murderous aura.

And that person was looking up at him, her brown eyes showing both concern and conviction. Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes at Kagome. No, it wasn't concern he saw in her brown eyes—it was...sympathy? Was she actually feeling..._sorry_ for him, after everything he had put Helen through? Kami—that was absolutely _demeaning_! To receive sympathy from a _human..._!

His blood boiled even more. He needed to blow off some steam.

Without sparing Helen and her..._boyfriend_ another glance, he darted off the roof, and towards the Well Shrine.

He _really _needed to blow off steam.

**XoXoXo**

_Did I just feel sorry for him?_

Kagome could think of nothing else as Helen further introduced Todd to her and Inuyasha. Was she feeling _sorry _for _Sesshoumaru_, of all people? Why would she feel sorry for him? Did she actually feel sorry for the demon with the hate filled eyes and the tremendous youki? The idea seemed improbable.

And yet she _was_ feeling sorry for him...

"Look!" Andrea said, pointing to temple steps, where two more figures were ascending.

Helen beamed. "Mom! Robert!" Without further ado, she tore herself away from Todd, and rushed to her mother who smiled at her.

Kagome watched, still wondering why she was feeling sorry for the stoic demon lord. "You alright?" Inuyasha laid a clawed hand on her shoulder.

Kagome turned to him, just as Andrea, Alicia and Todd made their way to Helen and her mother. "I actually feel a bit...sorry for Sesshoumaru," she muttered.

Inuyasha stared at her, his eyes wide with shock. "Kami! Kagome, are you mentally ill? Sesshoumaru doesn't need your sympathy. In fact...why would you feel that way? Think of what he did to Helen last year!"

Kagome sighed. "I know," she said. "Still...I guess I feel sorry for him, because...I know what it's like to have competition."

Inuyasha stared at her, his eyes unreadable. For a moment, the incredulous look vanished from his eyes, to be replaced with another look, a look similar to the look he wore when he had first seen Kikyou brought back to life. But then, the look promptly vanished.

"He doesn't _need _your sympathy, Kagome," he muttered. "Heck, I doubt he even wants it. Feeling sorry for him is like insulting him."

Kagome was silent, her head turned to the Well Shrine, through which Sesshoumaru had stormed through. It was a miracle that the old shack was still intact. The miko sighed. "Do you mind if I go after him?" she asked, wondering if she was indeed mentally ill.

"What the hell?!" Inuyasha snapped. Kagome rolled her eyes, sensing another argument headed her way.

"Inuyasha—" she began.

"And this is Kagome!" Kagome stopped just as Aunt Hsia made her way towards her, her fiancée standing by her side.

"Nice to meet you," Robert Blake said pleasantly, shaking her hand. "We've met before, I believe."

Kagome blinked. "Uh, hi!" she said, smiling. Robert was likeable enough.

"And this is..." Aunt Hsia looked at Inuyasha, her eyes blinking.

"My boyfriend!" Kagome said, without thinking.

Helen, whose hand was laced with Todd's, stared at her, her eyes wide with surprise, her lips curving into a grin. Kagome realized what she had said and went a violent shade of scarlet. Inuyasha was staring at her, his mouth hanging open in surprise. He knew perfectly well what 'boyfriend' was.

"Oh!" Aunt Hsia said, not noticing the miko and hanyou's discomfort. "A boyfriend! I didn't know that! Well, it seems Hellie isn't the only one taken, now is she?" She smiled at Kagome. "Invite him to the wedding, okay?"

"Eh..." A vivid mental image of Inuyasha wearing a tuxedo flashed through her mind. It was mentally disturbing.

"Now, where's your mother?" Aunt Hsia asked, smiling her charming smile. "I haven't seen my sister-in-law in quite a while now!"

"You saw her last year," Helen said, rolling her eyes. Todd nudged her in the rib. "Hey!" Helen snapped, grinning at him.

"Gosh, Andrea, do you see ants anywhere?" Alicia asked, looking at her arms and then at her shoes.

"Gee, Alicia, I don't. Why ever do you ask?"

"Because these two are starting to get sweet." Alicia rolled her eyes.

Helen hit her playfully on her arm. "Hey!"Alicia whined.

Inuyasha and Kagome exchanged a look. It couldn't be denied that Helen looked...well, she looked happy. There was actually a sparkle in her eyes, something that had not been there during the time Todd was not around. But...Call it intuition, but Kagome could sense that something was not right. Was it just her, or did Helen's eyes dart around, as though looking for something...or rather, someone?

"So," Todd said, grinning at Helen. "Tell me about what you guys have been up to while I was away. Seen any interesting things?"

"Helen's ex-boyfriend!" Alicia offered. "He's here!"

Todd looked surprised, and Helen only blinked, clearly wishing Alicia hadn't brought it up. "Your ex-boyfriend?" Todd asked, raising an eyebrow at her. Kagome studied him. He didn't look the least bit jealous. Rather, he looked humoured. To their surprise, he laughed. "Really? Do I get to meet him?"

_For your sake, I hope not_, Kagome thought.

Helen rolled her eyes. "Geez, you're weird," she muttered. She unwillingly glanced around. She frowned to herself and then, very discreetly, she took a deep breath. Sesshoumaru's scent was faint, leading to the Well Shrine. He'd left...? Who cared?

"Speaking of which, where is Sesshoumaru?" Andrea asked, glancing around as they made their way inside. "I haven't seen him around lately."

"Who cares?" Helen muttered.

Kagome glanced at her, stopped in her tracks, and looked at the Well Shrine. Kami! She must be crazy for thinking of...

"Hey, where're you going?" Inuyasha demanded as Kagome broke away from the group and headed towards the Well Shrine. "You're not thinking of...?"

"Stay with Helen!" Kagome called as she vanished into the Well Shrine. "And if you try to follow me, I'll sit you so bad, you'll dig a hole to hell!" There was real menace in her voice, menace that made Inuyasha flinch.

Helen stared after her. What on earth was Kagome planning on doing...? She had a feeling it involved Sesshoumaru, and if it involved Sesshoumaru, it was obviously none of her business.

"What is it with you guys and that Well Shrine?" Andrea muttered.

**XoXoXo**

I must be out of my mind.

Kagome could think of nothing else as she clambered out of the well in Japan's Sengoku Jidai. She sighed as she sat at the edge of the well, pausing before moving on to her objective—finding Sesshoumaru. For what, she really didn't know. All she knew was that she had to find him.

Why would she even bother? After all, after everything he did to Helen, she should be jeering at him and rubbing the karma that was Todd Clarke in his face. But no—something told her to do what she would do, and that something was either stupid or it was intuition.

Definitely stupid.

Sighing, she stood up and closed her eyes, trying to sense Sesshoumaru's aura. Usually, she wouldn't be able to trace it, even though it was quite massive. This was due to the fact that Sesshoumaru usually sealed away his demonic aura. But this time was different. She could sense it. His frighteningly massive demonic aura, made more menacing by the jealousy he felt.

Hoping that she would live to see the sun set, she ran in the direction of his aura.

I must be definitely out of my mind.

**XoXoXo**

Fools.

Sesshoumaru watched lazily as the last of the ogres dropped at his feet, dead. He let his bloodstained claws hang at his sides. He surveyed the damage he'd done. A dozen or more ogre bodies lay scattered around him, blood still dripping from the wounds he had so easily inflicted upon them, blood that stained the earth red and filled his senses...

He'd gotten it out of his system.

And now that he'd gotten it out of his system, he realized how stupid he was—being jealous of a _mortal_. It was understandable why he'd be jealous of Toshimaru, but a _mortal_! Really...these feelings of his were a curse. And it was time to get rid of them.

Just how he'd do that was a complete mystery. Still...

He suddenly sensed someone watching him. He spun around, growling. More ogres to kill? Heh, idiots, the whole lot of them.

Although he didn't show it, he was surprised to see that the person staring back at him was far from being an ogre.

It was Kagome.

Kagome, who looked at the dismembered corpses on the ground with panic in her wide eyes. She looked frightened. What was she doing here in the first place?

Kagome surveyed the damage around Sesshoumaru, ignoring a voice inside of her that screamed for her to run. A dozen or more corpses lay scattered around him, blood still dripping from wounds. She swallowed. Obviously, he'd been blowing off steam. Nothing like a good killing spree to get it out of his system, huh?

Pushing aside the question as to how he managed to keep the white sweater he wore blood free, she took a step towards him, and he growled at her. "Why are you here?" His voice was sharper than a blade, and just as cold.

She hesitated. "About Helen and...Todd." He glared at her. "You're not going to...do something are you?" She knew perfectly well what he was quite capable of.

Did she really think he would stoop that low? "I have no interest in them," he said.

Kagome, to his surprise, looked angry. "Now, that—that's the kind of attitude that got you both in this mess in the first place!" she snapped.

He stared at her, surprised at her outburst. "Explain yourself."

She glared at him. "If you'd only gotten off your Trojan Horse last year, how do you think you'd both be doing now?" she demanded.

His stare turned into a glare. "You are—"

She cut him off. "Listen," she said. He flexed his claws. How dare she cut him off_ and_ order him to listen? "I don't even know why I'm saying this—I must be out of my mind. But...I have a feeling that...she isn't really happy."

Sesshoumaru stared at her. "How could she not be?" He surprised her when he asked the question.

"She's just not," Kagome said, sighing. "I have a feeling she isn't...Don't ask me how I know, because I don't even know that myself. I just..._feel_ that she isn't really happy. That her smile isn't genuine, that her laugh lacks something..."

"And why would you tell me this?"

She narrowed her eyes. "Would you rather I told Toshimaru?"

He growled at her. To mention that blasted name...! "What are you implying, miko?"

Kagome took another deep breath. Maybe she was deranged, maybe she had been hoodwinked, maybe she didn't really like Todd. In any case, her answer surprised them both.

"I want to help you win her back."

**XoXoXo**

"It's just not right," Sango muttered. The demon slayer was staring at the vast rice fields in front of her, her eyes slightly narrowed.

"What's not right?" Miroku asked. He was standing behind her, his eyes fixed intently on her back.

Sango bit her lip, her fingers intertwined together. "It's just not right, this feeling," she muttered again. "I feel as though...as though he's just watching us."

Miroku took a step towards her. "Naraku..." His voice trailed off. He knew how troubled Sango was. Sango, of all people, had every right to worry about Naraku, because of Kohaku. Her worry had increased as the months had gone by, and Naraku had not made his appearance. They all knew that he could have been anywhere, in fact, he could've been hiding behind the bushes in the village, spying on them.

"Ever since he lost his scent and aura, finding him is like trying to find saltwater amidst fresh water," the monk said, sighing. "You know it's there, but you just don't know where."

"I'm just worried," Sango muttered. "For Kohaku, for our friends...for you."

Miroku took another step towards her and wrapped his arms around her, leaning his forehead against the back of her head. Sango stiffened, her eyes widening, a blush spreading through her cheeks. "Don't worry about me, of all people," the monk said. "I'd rather you worried more about yourself, Sango."

"I can't do that," she replied. She turned her head towards him, and her eyes widened. He was so close. "I mean...I worry about...you...too..." Her voice trailed off when she saw that he was getting closer, their lips only a hairsbreadth apart.

"Sis!" Kohaku!

Quick as a bolt of lightning, Sango elbowed Miroku in the rib. He spluttered, and let go of her, grasping his middle. "Oh! I'm sorry, Miroku!" Sango squealed as the monk fell to his knees. She knelt beside him. "Did I nudge you too hard?"

"That..." Miroku gasped. "Was...a _nudge_?!"

**XoXoXo**

Sesshoumaru stared at the miko, wondering whether or not it was indeed her, and not some puppet sent by Naraku. What was she saying? That she'd help him? He narrowed his eyes at her. Did she really think that he was incapable of winning Helen back on his own? He didn't need her help!

"I don't need your help," he said.

"Oh?" Kagome said, raising an eyebrow at him. "You don't? I don't even know why I'm offering to help you, considering everything you've done to her. All I know is that I'm helping you."

"Your assistance is not necessary."

"So you really _are _going to win her back?" Kagome raised both her eyebrows.

Dammit. The best answer was silence.

Kagome stared at him and sighed. Why was she even here? "Have it your way," she said, turning on her heel. She glanced back at him from over his shoulder. "But remember this—if you hurt her again, Inuyasha and I will personally send you to hell!"

"Miko, stop."

"Wha...?" Before she could even blink, a slender hand reached out from behind the trees and wrapped itself tightly around her throat, drawing her towards its owner. Kagome's eyes widened in shock as she felt her back come in contact with the obvious body of a woman.

"You again," Sesshoumaru hissed.

"Why hello...Lord Sesshoumaru?" The woman appraised him, her eyes going from head to foot. "My, my, my," she went on. "I prefer the strange clothing you wear." She grinned at him. Kagome's eyebrow twitched. What the...?

"Sokoro." Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes at her.

Kagome's eyes widened. "Sokoro?!" she gasped. She struggled to free herself, but the more she struggled, the tighter Sokoro's slender fingers wrapped around her throat, cutting her air.

"Did you miss me, Lord Sesshoumaru?" Sokoro asked, playfully grinning at him.

Sesshoumaru glared. He was about to draw his sword, but stopped. Dammit—he had left Ryuko in the Modern Era...

Sokoro laughed. "No sword this time?" She shook her head, clicking her tongue in disapproval. "You've forgotten your sword, but you haven't forgotten to bring along this little human?" She suddenly blinked. Kagome suddenly felt Sokoro spin her around so she faced the demoness. The miko's eyes widened. Sokoro was...well, she was indescribably beautiful. "Oh dear, Lord Sesshoumaru," she said, sighing. "This girl isn't Lady Shinsuke's daughter. Wait..." Her grin became conspiratorial. "Are you two-timing, Lord Sesshoumaru? I won't tell." She winked.

Kagome felt like hitting her. Yeesh...for a supposedly omnipotent demoness, she was acting like a child!

Sesshoumaru had had enough. "Enough of your foolish talk!" Before anyone could blink, Sesshoumaru lunged gracefully towards Sokoro, his toxic claws aimed at her head, away from Kagome. Sokoro wound her arms around Kagome's waist and easily jumped into the air, hovering above the trees and above Sesshoumaru, who looked up and glared at her.

"So that means you must miss me very much," she said, nodding and grinning down at him.

Sesshoumaru did not answer. Instead, he leapt into the air towards her. He flicked his wrist towards her, and his energy whip whizzed towards Sokoro who only grinned as a pink barrier materialized in front of her, deflecting Sesshoumaru's whip. He glared at her as he landed gracefully back on the ground, his eyes fixed on her.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk," Sokoro said, sighing. "You still haven't learned any manners, I see. Do you want me to help you with that?" Her voice sounded inviting.

Sesshoumaru glared. _Yeesh, what's with her? _Kagome thought. She turned her attention to Sesshoumaru. He was looking up at Sokoro, a cold glare in his eyes. Kagome was certain that, even without a weapon, Sesshoumaru was still a formidable opponent. Formidable enough to defeat Sokoro? Surely, the miko thought, Sokoro wasn't _that _powerful...Was she?

"Don't keep me waiting, Lord Sesshoumaru," Sokoro said, smirking. "Very well then—I shall go first!" Holding me around the waist with one arm, she held the other in front of her, towards Sesshoumaru. She opened her palm towards him and a blast of light shot towards Sesshoumaru, who jumped back to avoid it. Sokoro's attack hit the ground, sending dust and rubble into the air.

"Come now, Lord Sesshoumaru!" Sokoro said. "Your human is waiting!"

"Geez, you're noisy!" Kagome snapped. And before Sokoro could stop her, she grabbed the demoness's extended arm and sent a blast of her spiritual energy through Sokoro. Sokoro's eyes widened as the spiritual energy enveloped her. Her hold on Kagome slacked, and the miko fell to the ground, landing on her behind.

Sesshoumaru took the opportunity and leapt gracefully over Kagome, towards Sokoro, thrusting his toxic claws through her chest. Sokoro's eyes widened as she felt his poison course throughout her. "You...!" she hissed. Sesshoumaru pulled out his claws and landed back on the ground, his eyes fixed on Sokoro, who hovered in midair, her eyes still wide with shock, blood and poison dripping from the hole in her chest.

She placed a hand over her chest. "Heh," she said. For once, there was no trace of playfulness in her voice—only menace. "Quit the opportunist, aren't you, Lord Sesshoumaru?" The hand over her chest glowed white and the wound was slowly closed. "I like that in a man."

Kagome's eyebrow twitched. Sesshoumaru answered with a glare.

Sokoro suddenly let out a long, suffering sigh. "But your manners leave so much to be desired." She grinned at him again. "Toodles!" Before he could stop her, she glowed with light and sped away.

He wasn't going to let her get away. He morphed into his orb and chased after her, leaving Kagome behind. "Hey!" Kagome shouted as the two lights sped off, one chasing the other. "Wait for me!"

**XoXoXo**

"Jerk!" Kagome huffed as she ran along the forest, her breath coming in short, quick gasps. She had been running for nearly five minutes, nonstop. You'd think with all the travelling she did with Inuyasha and her friends, she would've been used to it, but she wasn't always an athletic person.

When she finally caught up to Sesshoumaru, she was surprised to find him in the clearing where the well was. Even more surprising was that he was looking into the well, an annoyed expression temporarily replacing his usually cold mien.

She was suddenly anxious.

"Sesshoumaru?" she asked carefully as she approached him. The sun shone brightly over head, temporarily blinding her. She blinked to clear out the light. "What happened? Where's Sokoro...?" She had a feeling she didn't want to know.

Sesshoumaru stared at her, as though the answer was quite obvious. "Please...don't tell...me," she stuttered, staring at the well.

"She escaped through the well."

"I told you not to tell me!!!"

**XoXoXo**

Kagome had never seen Sesshoumaru leap so quick in all her life. The moment they had returned to the Modern Era, he jumped out of the well with such blinding speed, she couldn't see him at all. She knew why he was in a rush—Helen. Sokoro, unbelievably, was here, in the Modern Era...

Sesshoumaru slid open the door of the Well Shrine with a bang. Sokoro...the witch! She had jumped into the well which, surprisingly, allowed her to pass through. Admittedly, he had hurried, out of concern for none other than Helen. He ran out to the shrine grounds and, simultaneously, a familiar melody hit him.

He stopped. His gaze immediately zeroed in on the source of the melody.

Helen was sitting underneath the Sacred tree, and she was playing her violin. She was smiling softly, a faraway look in her blue eyes. She wasn't alone. The bastard, Todd, was sitting next to her, his gaze fixed intently on her face. Surprisingly, Inuyasha was sitting on the branches of the Sacred Tree, his eyes closed, arms folded behind his head, obviously listening to the music. Andrea and Alicia were sitting on the ground, against the Sacred tree. They, too, were listening to Helen's playing.

For a brief instant, just an instant, he cursed himself for incessantly hurting her last year—what an idiot he had been! For a fraction of a second, he wondered if, had he 'gotten off his Trojan Horse' last year, she would be married to him by now...What the hell was he thinking?

He was snapped out of his thoughts by a familiar voice behind him. "I haven't heard her play for a year now," Kagome muttered.

Sokoro.

Sesshoumaru made his way towards Helen and the others, ignoring the miko behind him. Helen heard his approach and stopped playing, looking up at him with muted surprise. The others, likewise, regarded him with the same expression as Helen. All except Todd.

For an instant, Sesshoumaru forgot Sokoro. He fixed his gaze on Todd, who, likewise, was regarding him with curiosity in his eyes.

"Kagome!" Inuyasha said, as he jumped off the tree, landing immediately next to Kagome.

Alicia, Andrea and Todd looked at him, their mouths hanging open. Kagome inwardly sighed, mentally making a note to sit Inuyasha later for being careless.

"What do you want?" Helen asked Sesshoumaru.

Ignoring the fact that her hand was laced with Todd's, he took a step towards her. She tensed. "Sokoro," was all he said. Unlike Inuyasha, he knew how to be discreet.

Helen looked at him for a moment, her gaze thoughtful instead of cold. "Soko—?" But before she could finish her sentence, Andrea and Alicia both bounded up and, in a second, were both in front of Sesshoumaru.

"Hey, Sesshoumaru!" they said. Both sounded gleeful, he noted. "We wanna introduce you to someone!" Before anyone could blink, Alicia yanked Todd away from Helen and in front of Sesshoumaru. "This is Todd Clarke—Helen's boyfriend!"

Were these idiots rubbing it in his face? He became aware of both Kagome and Inuyasha tensing—obviously readying themselves for whatever violent reaction he was going to commit out of jealousy. However, they were going to find that he, of all people, knew how to dissemble. Besides—it was time he got himself together. He was aware that he had been acting somewhat out of character in the past few days. Not anymore.

Kagome and Inuyasha watched Sesshoumaru's reaction, ready to intervene should the need arise. Judging from what he had been doing in the Feudal era an hour ago—slaughtering ogres to blow off steam—Kagome expected him to lunge at Todd. She was surprised when he merely turned his gaze away from Todd and to Helen, causing Andrea and Alicia to raise their eyebrows at him.

"Leave him alone, guys," Helen said, sighing as she got up. She set down her violin on the stone bench and faced him. "You wanted to tell me something?"

Helen's passiveness surprised him. What had happened to the cold and bitter harpy from yesterday? He pushed that thought aside. "Yes."

"About...?"

"Alone."

Alicia, Andrea and Todd stared at him, their expressions shocked. How could he ask her to be alone with him when her boyfriend was around? Blunt and arrogant, indeed.

Helen knew she should be annoyed, but she also knew that what he was about to tell her had something to do with the Feudal Era, something her 'modern' friends were not allowed to know.

"I'm assuming it's something Inuyasha and Kagome need to know...?" Helen asked, raising an eyebrow at him.

He nodded. Stifling a sigh, Helen turned to Todd and the others. "Would you guys excuse us?" she asked.

Todd glanced at her, then at Sesshoumaru, and reluctantly nodded. Helen grinned and, much to Sesshoumaru's suppressed chagrin, she kissed him on the cheek. "BRB!" she said as she turned to Kagome.

Todd, Alicia and Andrea watched the four go to the other side of the shrine grounds, towards the temple, where they could talk and not be overheard. Todd sighed and sat on the stone bench, Andrea and Alicia sitting on either side of him.

"So, what do you think?" Andrea asked him.

He raised an eyebrow at her. "You mean about her ex?"

"Duh!" Andrea said.

"Do you really wanna know?" the athletic boy asked, raking a hand through his mane of messy hair.

"What's the use of asking, if I didn't want to know?" Andrea wondered out loud.

Alicia, always the sensible one, reached across Todd's lap and smacked Andrea on the arm. "Ow!" the latter whined.

"You're so tactless," Alicia muttered.

"What'd I do?!"

"Actually," Todd said firmly, his voice silencing the impending argument. "He's...intimidating." Alicia and Andrea looked scandalized. "But he's not something I can't handle."

Sighing, Alicia whacked Andrea on the arm again. "Ow! Remind me to buy you a punching for your birthday!"

"Of course," Alicia said, agreeing with Todd. "Personally, I don't think you have anything to worry about, Todd. Let's face it—the guy's hot, but he's not going to be trouble. After all—you were the one there for Hellie during the Great Depression."

Todd fell silent, his thoughts returning to nearly a year ago. He didn't like to think about it, that time when Helen had returned from Japan. It was a time he and everyone else called 'The Great Depression'.

And he knew it was because of that guy, Sesshoumaru. He looked at the other side of the shrine, where Helen and Kagome were talking. It looked as though Helen did everything in her power to avoid talking with Sesshoumaru, and for that he was grateful; because he hadn't been joking about what he had said about Sesshoumaru—that he was intimidating. The kind of intimidating that made a guy feel inadequate and insecure of himself.

Though, he had to admit, there _was _something rather off about a guy who tattooed his face and wore his hair long, even if the look suited him. But it wasn't just Sesshoumaru—there was something off about the other one, Inuyasha, Kagome's boyfriend, as well. He had a feeling the two were related, judging by their appearance.

"Wonder what they're talking about," Alicia muttered, her gaze fixed at the four.

"Well, whatever it is—" Andrea was interrupted when all too familiar voice echoed throughout the shrine.

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN SHE'S HERE?!" Helen shrieked.

**XoXoXo**

Helen wanted to hit him.

No, hitting him would be an understatement—she wanted to _strangle _Sesshoumaru!

"What do you mean she's here?" she hissed at him, lowering her voice.

Had she been any other girl, he would have slaughtered her for shouting at him. He suppressed the aggravation. "I do not repeat myself."

She glared.

He glowered.

"Yeesh—cut it, you two!" Kagome snapped, standing between them. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say you two liked each other!" Helen and Sesshoumaru turned their glare to her, and the miko inwardly cringed. "Fine, fine! Could we just focus on the problem at hand?"

Sesshoumaru turned to Inuyasha. "Sokoro came through the well. Despite your half-breed blood, you should have sensed her."

The hanyou growled for the allusion to his lineage. "No one came out of the well," he said through gritted teeth. "Didn't even hear the doors open."

Sesshoumaru turned to Helen, who shook her head. "No, he's right," she said. "No one came out. Are you sure she jumped into the well?"

A look was all he gave her. _Of course, _Helen thought. _When he says something, it's accurate_.

"May be she ended up in another dimension?" Kagome said hopefully.

The other three stared at her. She shrugged. "Let's face it," she said. "There're some things about that well we don't know about. For us, it's a bridge between two eras—for Sokoro, it could have sent her somewhere else."

"I hope it sent her to the sun," Helen muttered. She sighed. "Listen—neither I nor Inuyasha sensed anything. May be she really is gone."

Sesshoumaru inwardly sighed. An omnipotent demoness, vanishing into the dark depths of an old well—that ought to make his mother laugh. But still...

"I am not careless enough to let my guard down," Sesshoumaru said.

"You're calling me careless?" Helen said, raising an eyebrow.

"Perhaps."

She glared. "Can it you two!" Kagome snapped. "Yeesh. Anyway, I think Helen's right, Sesshoumaru—if there's no sign of Sokoro, then maybe she really did vanish...or...the Sokoro who jumped into the well was a puppet."

"I am certain it was her."

Kagome frowned. She, too, was troubled at the thought of the demoness prowling the modern era, but what could be done? "We have no leads on her," she said. "No aura, no scent—as if she didn't exist."

"She's here," Sesshoumaru persisted. If these idiots weren't going to believe him, fine.

"We could try looking for her..." Kagome said tentatively.

Helen bit her lip. "Er..." she said, and the other three looked at her. "If you guys are doing that..."

"And the reason for your impending refusal?" Sesshoumaru asked, his tone and his eyes cold.

_Can he read minds now_? "That," Helen said, "is none of your business."

"I am assuming it has something to do with the boy?" He glanced briefly in Todd's direction, before looking at her again.

Helen flushed. "It's none of your business!" she snapped.

"Disgraceful."

She glared at him. "Oh? Me? Disgraceful? Well...who was it that barged into a wedding, _uninvited_?!"

Kagome and Inuyasha glanced at each other. Huh?

Sesshoumaru glared. Normally, he wouldn't indulge in these petty arguments, but...

"Who chose to marry a fool?" he shot back.

"Toshimaru wasn't a fool! You were!"

Kagome blinked, totally lost. "What're you guys talking about...?" she asked.

"None of your business!" Helen snapped. But then her eyes widened. "Sorry."

"S'alright," the miko said, still puzzling over their little argument. But then, her eyes lit up in understanding. "Of course!" she exclaimed, pointing a finger at Sesshoumaru. "Helen was supposed to marry Toshimaru last year! You stopped her?!"

Inuyasha stared at his elder brother, his eyes wide with surprise. "Seriously?"

Sesshoumaru ignored them.

Helen sighed. "Anyway," she said. "I can't help you guys."

Kagome decided to intervene before Sesshoumaru could say anything. "Why not?" she asked. "Sure, Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha are here, but another demon would be helpful."

Helen bit her lower lip. If she didn't say yes, Kagome, she was certain, would give her the guilt trip. "Well," she said, hesitant.

"Well...?" Kagome prompted.

"Fine," Helen said. "I'll help. Of course, I'll help—but not tonight."

"Why?" Kagome asked.

"Todd and I are going out on a date," she answered, blushing. To her surprise, it was a familiar cold and sharp voice that answered.

"_What_?" Sesshoumaru hissed.

Helen raised her eyebrows. "What's it to you?" she asked.

To her surprise—and utter shock—his eyes went blood red. She was further surprised when both his clawed hands grabbed her shoulders. "Hey!" she snapped.

Inuyasha automatically whipped out his Tessaiga. "Let go of her, idiot!" Inuyasha barked.

Sesshoumaru ignored him, his red tinged gaze solely on Helen. Sure, he had made his resolve not to be too overtly involved with her anymore, but this...this was crossing the line. "Do you think," he said, his voice menacingly cold. "That I would allow that filthy human to lay a finger on you?"

Helen blinked. "What the hell are you talking about?" she asked.

He growled at her. "I will not allow a mortal to claim you," he growled. _Or anyone else for that matter._

Helen automatically understood. "You IDIOT!" she shrieked. "Have you honestly been hanging around Miroku ever since I left?!"

The genuine rage in her voice forced the red to recede from his eyes. In that instant, Kagome burst out laughing. Both demons turned to her. "Sorry!" the miko said, guffawing. "I...pranked...him! Told...him...that a 'date' meant...Hahahahahahaha!"

Sesshoumaru let go of Helen's shoulders. "You had no intention of..."

_KAMI_...for an instant, he felt like an idiot...and then he felt like throttling the miko.

Inuyasha let out a roar of laughter. "You...thought...!" the hanyou bellowed, jamming Tessaiga into the ground, and grasping his middle.

Helen turned to Kagome. "What exactly did you tell him?" she demanded.

Kagome, still laughing, wiped a tear from her eye. "I told him that a date meant..." She leaned in towards Helen and whispered her definition.

"I can't believe you!" Helen snapped, whacking Kagome on the head. "Honestly—is Miroku rubbing off on _all_ of you?!"

Kagome shrugged, rubbing her head. "Sorry—it was a good joke at the time."

Helen exhaled. "Whatever," she muttered. Truth be told, she was still somewhat surprised at the intensity of Sesshoumaru's...jealousy. "Anyway—I'll help you guys find Sokoro, but not tonight!" With that, she turned on her heel and went back to where Todd and the others were waiting.

Kagome had stopped laughing by now, but Inuyasha was still having hysterics. "You..._jealous_!" the hanyou spluttered.

The miko glanced at Sesshoumaru. He was looking at Helen's retreating back with a cold look in his eyes. Wait...there was something else, something the miko could not read.

Why did she have a feeling Helen's date wouldn't go as planned?

**XoXoXo**

**A1969: done!  
Inuyasha: oh, what joy.  
A1969: ooh—updating on New Year's Eve! I'm actually tempted to post this at **_**exactly **_**midnight, amidst fireworks—but that would be too dramatic.  
Kagome: agree.  
A1969: anyway, sorry if it took long to update! Don't forget to review! Oh, and thanks to those who reviewed the previous chapter!**


	6. The Deception and the Creation

**nA1969: no words can describe my immense joy at—  
Inuyasha: yeah, yeah—we know how happy you are to update, yeesh.  
Kagome: Inuyasha! Don't be so rude!  
A1969: oh, don't worry, Kagome. He's trying to be like Edward Cullen, reading minds.  
Inuyasha: who? O.O  
Kagome: you don't know who Edward Cullen is?!  
Inuyasha: noooo...Funny name, though.  
Kagome: Edward Cullen is...perfection!  
A1969: okaaaay...  
Inuyasha: what the hell is that supposed to mean?!  
A1969: -sigh- anyway, sorry for the late update! And thanks to those who read and reviewed the previous chapter!**

**Chapter Six: The Deception and the Creation**

**XoXoXo**

Helen sighed.

She was sitting on the bed in her room, alone. Sesshoumaru had returned to the Feudal Era, discarding the garbage that humans called clothes for his impeccable kimono and armor…which made Helen think that he would be gone for a while. Not long after the daiyoukai had left, Kagome and Inuyasha, too, returned to the Feudal Era, in order to get more leads on Naraku.

She sighed again and lay down on the bed, her arms stretched on either side of her, her legs dangling off the edge, her feet touching the floor. Todd would be coming for her at around six. He had returned to his hotel in order to get changed for the night.

Strangely, she didn't feel like going.

_I'm just tired_, she told herself as she stared up at the ceiling. _But tired of what?_

What _was_ she tired of? She knew she was tired, but why, she really didn't know…

She suddenly heard footsteps heading towards her room. She recognized the treads—Alicia and Andrea. Her demonic speed allowed her to get off the bed and stand at the closet in less than a second. The footsteps drew closer. She opened the closet door and, simultaneously, the door to her room opened.

"Hellie!" Andrea's jubilant voice called out as the duo entered the room.

Helen peeked from around the closet door, her blue eyes blinking. "Hey guys!" she said, grinning.

"Eh?" Andrea said, as she and Alicia sat on the bed. "You haven't changed yet? Idiot! It's almost six!"

Helen glanced at the clock on the wall. It was four thirty. Andrea could be excited when it came to her and Todd. "Sorry," Helen said, turning back to the closet. She frowned at the row of clothes on the hangers, her thoughts jumbled. _What's up with me today?_ she thought listlessly as she fingered a blouse. "I really just don't know what to wear." She sighed.

"Oooh!" Andrea said, clenching both her fists. Her face reddened in annoyance. "Move it Hellie—lemme handle this!" She shoved Helen aside and dove into the closet, muttering about girls not making fashionable efforts these days.

Helen rolled her eyes and sat down next to Alicia, who turned to her with a raised eyebrow. "What?" Helen asked, feeling self-conscious.

Alicia opened her mouth to reply when a black and white shirt suddenly landed on top of her head, courtesy of Andrea. "Urgh, Helen, don't wear that shirt again!" Andrea huffed, still sifting through the clothes.

"That shirt wasn't so bad," Helen muttered.

"Stephanie gave it to you—I hate her guts," Andrea answered, not looking back at her. She took down blouses, examined them, deemed them unworthy, and threw them out of the closet.

"Could ya at least hang them back?" Alicia said. She balled the shirt on her head, took aim and hurled it at Andrea's head. At that exact moment, Andrea ducked to inspect Helen's footwear at the bottom of her closet. The shirt sailed past her head and hit the other blouses in the closet.

Alicia huffed. "Anyway," she said, turning back to Helen. "You seem a bit put off."

Helen blinked. "I...do?" she asked.

Alicia nodded. "Yeah, ever since that little chat you had with Kagome, Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru." She stared at her, and Helen looked down at the blanket. "You didn't even mind when Todd returned to the hotel."

Helen looked up at her. "Just tired, I guess," she said. "Jet lag, you know."

The ever-perceptive Alicia narrowed her eyes. Suspiciously, Helen noted. "And you know, Inuyasha, Kagome and Sesshoumaru are gone."

"They...had to leave," Helen said. "To...see our other friends!"

Alicia's lower lip jutted out as she regarded Helen thoughtfully. "You know, you can always tell us anything."

"Yeesh!" Helen said. She grabbed a shirt on the bed, balled it, and rammed it playfully into Alicia's face. "You sound like my mom!" She laughed.

Alicia grabbed the blouse, sighed, and put in on her lap, looking up at Helen with another thoughtful expression. "Are you sure there's nothing bothering you?" she asked.

Helen grinned and shook her head. "Nope, nada."

"I found it!" Helen and Alicia turned to Andrea who was holding a V-necked blouse and a khaki skirt in her hands. Grinning, Andrea tossed the clothes at Helen who caught them. "Yeesh, Hellie, what would you do without me? You can thank me later—for now, you've got to change! It's five already! Alicia! C'mon—let's let Hellie change!"

Alicia didn't have time to protest as the rambunctious Andrea grabbed her wrist, hauled her to her feet, and dragged her out of the room, all in one swift movement. Alicia was wide-eyed and speechless as Andrea slammed the door behind them.

Helen let out a tiny chuckle, and then stared at the clothes she was holding. Her eyes narrowed sadly. Why? Why was she so—as Alicia said—put off? Was it because of Sokoro? They weren't even sure _where_ Sokoro was. Was the demoness in another dimension, or here, in the present? In any case, she wasn't afraid of Sokoro...at the moment.

Then why?

Her eyes widened. Could she be...put off because of...Sesshoumaru?

No. Helen put both clothes on the bed, and sat down next to them, her eyes staring at the wall. She wasn't put off because of Sesshoumaru. Being troubled because of him was incomprehensible. She _wasn't _supposed to be troubled by him anymore...

So why was she troubled?

**XoXoXo**

"Alicia, have you seen Kagome?" Mrs. Higurashi asked as she went into the living room.

Alicia, who was engrossed in a pocket book on the couch, looked up. "She left with Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru two hours ago," she answered.

Mrs. Higurashi nodded, knowing perfectly well where her daughter would have gone. "Oh, dear," she muttered.

"What's the matter?" Alicia asked.

"I have to take Souta to a doctor's appointment," she said, sighing.

"Oh, Andrea and I will watch the house for you," Alicia offered.

Mrs. Higurashi beamed at her. "That would be wonderful! Thank you, dear." She looked around. "Where's Andrea?"

"She's outside, waiting for Todd, I think," Alicia replied.

"That's right," Mrs. Higurashi said, smiling. "He and Helen will be going out tonight. That reminds me of the time when—"

The patient Alicia was spared hearing about Mrs. Higurashi's life when Souta bounded into the living room, wearing jeans and an orange t-shirt.

"Mom, aren't we leaving yet?" Souta asked, sounding impatient.

"Oh, we are, Souta. Where's your Grandfather?"

"He went off to old man Shiro's place," Souta said. He grinned. "They're probably talking about youkai, and all that stuff."

Mrs. Higurashi smiled. "Alicia, dear, we'll be leaving now. We should be home before eight, but if we're late, there's some food out on the table."

"Thanks, Mrs. Higurashi." Mrs. Higurashi smiled warmly as she and Souta left.

Alicia sighed and glanced at the clock. It was a quarter to six. Todd should be around any minute now...

"TODD!" Andrea's jubilant voice called out.

Alicia shrugged. That was quick.

**XoXoXo**

"Sounds like a lot of drama going on at your time, Kagome," Miroku commented.

It was almost dark, and they were all gathered around a cheerful fire in Kaede's hut. Kaede herself was stirring the contents of a hot pot. Kagome had just related everything that had happened since Helen had returned, ending with the murderous way Sesshoumaru had glared at Todd before they returned to the Feudal Era.

"I thought he was going to eat the kid," Inuyasha muttered.

Sango shrugged. "Who knew that Sesshoumaru had it in him to be jealous?" she mused aloud. "Speaking of Sesshoumaru, where is he?"

Kagome tilted her head. "I'm not really sure," she said. "After Helen told him she'd rather go on a date than look for Sokoro, he just returned here, I guess. I don't really know where he is." _Probably off blowing more steam._

"Sango is right," Kaede spoke up. She sat back on her haunches, between Kagome and Inuyasha, the latter looking annoyed. "It is surprising that Lord Sesshoumaru would display such outward signs of possessiveness—it is just not in his character."

"I'm not surprised he could be that jealous," Kagome said. "It seems to run in the family." She looked pointedly at Inuyasha.

"What're you looking at me for?!" the hanyou snapped.

They laughed. "Yeah, it _does_ seem to run in the blood," Miroku said, grinning.

"Er...Sango," Shippou, perched on Sango's shoulder, said. His wide eyes were zeroed in on Miroku's inching hand.

A second later, an all too familiar slap resounded throughout the hut.

"When will you get over that?!" Sango growled, glaring at the perverted monk.

Miroku grinned. The red handprint on his cheek glowed dimly in the firelight. "Sorry, Sango," he said solemnly. "It seems to run in the family."

**XoXoXo**

"Hey, you alright?"

Todd's concerned voice pulled Helen out of her stupor. She looked up from the burger she had been eating, and smiled. They were sitting at one of WacDonald's booths. The fast food restaurant was crowded, but not even the bustling noise could prevent Helen from sinking into silent contemplation.

"I'm fine," she reassured.

Todd sipped his coke, leaned back, and narrowed his eyes analytically at her. "You know, you seem a bit put off since that chat with Sesshoumaru."

_Of course I'm put off,_ Helen thought. _After all—they did say that a powerful demoness might be loose somewhere in the city..._

_Oh, shoot._

Her eyes widened in shock. How come she wasn't thinking straight today? Sokoro could be here, in the city—and she, Helen, was doing nothing but relaxing. Wait, they weren't even sure if Sokoro was here or not. Maybe she ended up in another dimension, who knew?

She sighed. "Sorry, Todd...I just..."

Todd shrugged. "You know, I'm curious," he said, staring intently at her. "Tell me...what exactly did you, Inuyasha, Kagome, and Sesshoumaru talk about? You seem put off about it."

Helen frowned. The truth was, she wasn't put off by the idea of Sokoro—she was put off with something else. Or, rather, she was put off by _someone._

_Get out of my head, _Helen thought, almost angrily. She unconsciously clenched her fists.

"Hey, loosen up." Todd's warm hand reached across the table and enclosed around her fist.

Helen sighed, and smiled warmly at him. "Sorry," she said. She glanced at her watch. "Shoot, Todd! It's almost seven—c'mon, or we're going to be late for that movie!"

**XoXoXo**

The young man was panting.

He was almost running towards the towering shrine steps at the bottom of the street. Beads of sweat broke out on his forehead, and his muscles ached from all the running he had done. Cars zoomed by on the street, and people walked past him, their eyes zeroing on him as he ran.

He was late.

Very, very late.

As he dashed up the shrine steps, he decided that Japan's rush hour was to blame. He quickly climbed the stairs, three steps at a time. The cool night wind blew stronger the higher he climbed, helping to evaporate the sweat that trickled down his cheeks.

She was going to be annoyed with him, he was certain.

He finally reached the top of the steps, and ran to the house on the shrine grounds. As he approached the house, he could hear sounds of laughter coming from inside. It was Andrea, he realized with a grin, who was laughing her head off.

He quickly knocked on the door, his breath still coming in gasps.

"Coming!" Andrea's Japanese was awful, he decided.

The door slid open, and light spilled out. It was Andrea who answered. Andrea, whose eyes widened in shock, whose mouth hung open at the sight of him standing in the sliver of light.

"T-Todd?" Andrea gasped. "What...what're you doing here?"

**XoXoXo**

"D'you wanna take a long cut?"

Helen looked up at Todd. His one arm was wrapped around her shoulder as they walked amidst Japan's bustling crowd. She smiled, and nodded. "Yeah...you know, we can always watch another movie," she muttered. They stopped, and waited for the light to turn green.

"You know, I don't think I'm in a movie mood today," he said, sighing, staring at the red light. He turned to her. "Besides, I think a little stroll in the park will clear your head." He grinned and playfully ruffled her hair.

Helen pouted, but felt guilty. _Am I really that obvious? _She thought as they crossed the street.

"C'mon," Todd said. "I think I know a shortcut."

Helen raised an eyebrow, and grinned. "You haven't been three days in Japan, and already you know a shortcut?" She nudged him playfully in the ribs. "Wow, Todd—you beat me. I'm stumped when it comes to directions."

"Why?" Todd asked. "You've been here for a year."

Helen frowned as he led her through the thinning crowd. "Let's just say I didn't go out much." Of course, last year, she'd spent a majority of her time in the Feudal Era, with Sesshoumaru...

"Aha! Through here," Todd said, pulling her along.

Helen inwardly sighed. _What's gotten into me? _she thought dully. _Just because Sesshoumaru was jealous? I'm not hoping anymore—I'm way past that...It must be Sokoro. Yeah, that's right. I'm just worried about her, that's all..._

Helen suddenly stopped in her tracks. She stared at what lay in front of her, an eyebrow raised in a very...Sesshoumaru-ish manner.

It was an alley. A deserted alley. Five storey buildings rose one either side of her. There wasn't a single light in one of the windows.

"Yup," Todd said, grinning as he pulled her along. "I was walking with your soon-to-be dad on the day we arrived, you know. We were starving, and I was just as surprised as you when he said there was food on the other side of this alley. He led me through, and we came out at the park!"

"I didn't know that," Helen muttered. Her senses told her there was nothing in the alley—no humans, no animals...no Sokoro.

"C'mon." She could suddenly feel goose bumps on her arms as they walked into the alley. She glanced warily around. There was nothing there. She couldn't sense anything.

She stopped in her tracks. "Todd, something doesn't feel right—let's turn back." She turned to him. Her eyes widened in shock, and her heart thudded frantically in her chest. It wasn't Todd who stood beside her. It was someone else. Someone who looked imperiously at her, an eyebrow raised. His cold eyes bore into her own.

"Se...Sesshoumaru?" she stuttered.

**XoXoXo**

"Todd?!" Andrea's eyes were wider than saucers as Todd stepped into the house, taking off his shoes, and raking a hand through his messy mane of hair.

"You won't believe the traffic in this city, Andrea," Todd said, grinning at her. "I swear, it's the worst!" He chuckled good humouredly. Andrea was still staring at him, her eyes wide. She was still speechless, as though Todd was nothing more than an apparition.

Todd bent down and put his shoes aside. "I mean, I was in the taxi for nearly an hour before I decided to get off!" He straightened up and chuckled. He frowned at the look on Andrea's face. "You okay? You look as though you've seen a ghost!"

"I have, Todd!" Andrea practically shrieked.

Todd cringed. He knew how overboard Andrea could get—especially when it came to punctuality for dates. "I'm sorry I'm late," he muttered.

"You...you've got to be kidding!" Andrea exclaimed. Todd's eyes widened when she blanched before his very eyes. Wow...she was _this_ mad? If Andrea was this mad, then Helen was probably on fire.

"Where's Helen?" Todd said, sighing. "I'll just apologize...if she won't bite off my head, that is."

Andrea was staring at him, her eyes still wide. Okay...she was creeping him out.

"Todd?" They both turned to the top of the steps. Alicia was looking down at him. Her eyebrows were raised in surprise, but at least she didn't look as deranged as Andrea. "You and Helen back so soon? What, did you guys fight?" Alicia said as she descended the stairs, two steps at a time.

Todd blinked. "What're you talking about? I came to get Helen."

Alicia narrowed her eyes. "Todd, quit kidding."

Todd glanced at Alicia, and then Andrea. "Wait...you're telling me Helen's gone?!"

"She went with you!" Alicia interjected.

"I just got here!" Todd argued.

Their eyes widened in shock. "OMIGOSH, Alicia!" Andrea said, her voice rising. "They've done it!"

Alicia and Todd turned to her. "What?"

"The _government_! They've managed to clone Todd!" Alicia raised her hands, her eyes wide.

Alicia rolled her eyes and hit Andrea on the shoulder. "Ow!"

"Be serious!" Alicia snapped. She turned to Todd. "Todd, a quarter to six, you came here and left with Helen."

Todd was incredulous. "Like I said, I just got here!" he snapped. "You're telling me my girlfriend left with a dude who looked like me? That's crazy!"

"She just did!" Alicia said. "She left with you...if you're here...if you haven't met her yet, then who...is with Helen?"

"Omigod, Alicia!" Andrea was hyperventilating by now. "Our friend's been abducted by some freako government science experiment! We have to help her!"

"What?!"

All three jumped out of their skins as a sharp, high-pitched voice cut through the air. They turned to the doorway. Kagome was standing in the doorway, Inuyasha behind her. Her eyes were wide with shock, and her mouth hung open.

"What's going on?" Kagome asked as she stepped into the house. Inuyasha remained outside, his eyes narrowed and his nostrils flared.

"Helen! She's been abducted by some weirdo Todd experiment!" Andrea said, wringing her hands.

"The science experiment part is both wrong and old, Andrea," Alicia said, whacking Andrea on the shoulder. She turned to Kagome. "Helen left with Todd...or at least someone we thought was Todd...and then...Todd shows up!" She glanced at Todd behind her, Todd who looked worried.

Before Kagome could ask, Inuyasha shoved her aside. They watched, speechless, as he approached Todd, and yanked him by the collar of his shirt, bringing him close.

"Hey!" Todd snapped, as Inuyasha lifted him effortlessly off the ground.

"Inuyasha!" Kagome shouted.

Inuyasha ignored her. He narrowed his eyes at Todd, and then dropped him to the ground. "He smells right," Inuyasha muttered.

"What?" Alicia, Andrea and Todd asked.

Inuyasha ignored them and turned to Kagome. "Kagome, you know what this means, right?"

Kagome's eyes widened in realization. "Sokoro."

**XoXoXo**

Helen took a step back.

"Sesshoumaru?" she said. "What...what on earth are you doing here? Where's Todd?"

He raised an eyebrow at her. His cold eyes, if anything, were even colder than normal. "That pathetic mortal," he scoffed, "is gone."

Helen's eyes widened. "What...what do you mean?!" she snapped. "What have you done to him?!" She clenched her fists.

The cold wind whipped through the alley, sending Sesshoumaru's silver locks flying. The sleeves of his kimono flapped almost eerily in the breeze. He took a step towards her.

"If you've harmed him, I'll kill you!" she snapped.

"Oh?" he said silkily, taking another step towards her. "You honestly think someone like _you_ can kill one such as I?" He almost looked amused as he took another step towards her.

She took a step back. "Why can't I?" she snarled. In that instant, she wished she practiced a bit more about being a demon. What was the use of her demonic powers, if she really didn't know how to use them that well? Wait...was she contemplating on fighting him?

"We both know you are incapable of such." He took another step towards her. She narrowed her eyes and took another step back—and felt the wall of a building against her back.

"How would you know?" she snapped, heart thudding. She had a nasty feeling he could hear it—after all, she could hear his own steady heartbeat.

Another step. He was a foot away—too close for her liking. She glared at him. He looked down at her, his cold eyes almost hypnotic. "How would I know?" he repeated, his tone was mocking. He placed both his arms on either side of her head, on the wall, and her eyes widened.

"Get away from me!" she growled, letting her aura rise.

He ignored her as he leaned in. Helen's eyes widened in shock. His lips stopped near hers, and she could feel his breath on her mouth.

"We both you know you can't," he mocked. His voice was low, soft...deadly.

Helen closed her eyes, her emotions clashing inside her. The last time she had been in this position, he had kissed her...what was she thinking? No! She hated him. She opened her eyes. He was still so close. It was as if his proximity paralyzed her.

"Which is why," Sesshoumaru went on idly. His hands dropped gracefully to hers, sliding slowly up her arms, across her shoulders, caressing her neck. "You will die."

"Wha—?!" Helen's eyes widened in surprise as his iron fingers wrapped around her throat.

**XoXoXo**

"Inuyasha, what'll we do?!"

Kagome had completely forgotten the presence of the three Americans. All she could think about was Helen. Helen, who was—at the moment—in danger.

"Sokoro's got her, I'm sure of it!" Kagome said, worried. "We've got to do something, Inuyasha!"

"Right!" Inuyasha said. Both he and Kagome turned to dash out the door, but the miko suddenly felt a powerful force grab at the collar of her uniform, dragging her back.

"Hold iiiiit!" Andrea snapped, letting go of Kagome.

The miko staggered backward. "What was that for?!" Kagome snapped. Inuyasha, who was out the door, looked back, an incredulous expression in his eyes.

"Explain!" Andrea snapped. "You seem to know—where's Hellie? Who's this Sokoro person?"

"Not now!" Kagome hissed. "Right now, we have to find Helen! Listen...maybe she'll explain things to you when we get back, but right now, Helen's in danger! And we can't afford to waste time!" Kagome turned.

"Wait." This time it was Alicia. Kagome didn't even face her as she stopped out the door. "I'm assuming Sesshoumaru is somehow involved?"

Kagome gave herself a mental whack on the head. She had been in such a rush, she had completely forgotten about the demon lord.

"Inuyasha, where's Sesshoumaru?" she asked. As much as she hated it, it seemed as though they would need Sesshoumaru's help, if Sokoro was who they were dealing with.

Inuyasha frowned. "Dunno," he said. "Haven't seen him since this afternoon. Must still be blowing off steam."

**XoXoXo**

_What was he doing?!_

Helen struggled valiantly against Sesshoumaru's iron grip, to no avail. She could feel his sharp talons digging into the side of her neck, could feel the warm blood trickling down her skin, and onto her shirt. She grabbed his wrist with both her hands, but it wasn't enough—he was stronger. Far stronger.

"Se...Sesshou...what are...!" Her eyes widened in shock. Her claws dug into the skin of his wrist, drawing blood. "Let..me...go!" Why was he doing this to her?

"Pathetic," Sesshoumaru said indolently. He lifted her off the ground and threw her against the opposite wall. Helen's eyes widened in pain as she felt her back crash against the brick wall. She had a nasty feeling that the wall had cracked. She fell to the ground in a heap, her head hitting a bottle as she fell. She groaned. Bruises were forming, she was sure of it.

"And to think," Sesshoumaru muttered as he approached her, "that I allowed one such as yourself to captivate me, is repulsive." He stood over her, looking down at her with pure contempt.

"What?" Helen asked. She sat weakly up, pain wracking her body. Her eyes narrowed in anger. "What's gotten into you?!" She shrieked. She shakily got to her feet.

"I should have done this a long time ago," he said coldly. Without warning, his hand shot out and tore away the necklace that Helen wore. The air around her seemed to shimmer as the illusion around her was lifted. Her hair lightened to gold, and her eyes turned silver as her demonic form was revealed.

"What are you doing?!" she snapped, her hands going to her neck.

"I would glean no pleasure if I were to slaughter you in that pathetic human disguise." He sounded scornful. His eyes...how devoid of emotion they were!

Helen's eyes widened. What was he saying? Why was he doing this? What had gotten into him...?

And then, she felt it. Something she had not felt in a while—a slow, twisting sensation in her chest. It was as if someone had taken hold of her heart and was twisting it slowly...painfully. _I...haven't felt this in...a long time,_ she thought.

As if she wasn't in enough pain.

Sesshoumaru took a step towards her, and her demonic instincts kicked in. She jumped behind, landing thirty feet down the alley, away from him. She narrowed her eyes as he took another step towards her. His slow steps were taunting her. It was as though he was making her realize that she was cornered, trapped—there would be no escape.

She would have to fight him off.

Demon though she may be, the chances of winning against him were grim.

**XoXoXo**

How lowly.

Sesshoumaru could think of nothing else as he stared up at the night sky. The dignified lord of the west was sitting underneath a tree, leaning comfortably against the wood, one hand resting against a bent knee. His golden eyes scanned the starry heavens, his thoughts wandering.

How very lowly indeed.

To be jealous of a _mortal._ How unlike him.

No, in fact to be jealous _at all_...

He narrowed his eyes. He'd wasted enough time contemplating on the vexing disadvantages of his emotions, when he should have been searching for Sokoro. Hn.

The demon lord gracefully got to his feet, and turned towards the direction of Inuyasha's Forest.

It was time to go back.

There was Sokoro to hunt.

**XoXoXo**

"Let go of Kagome, already!" Inuyasha roared, glaring at the persistent Andrea, who clung to Kagome's sleeve.

"Not until you explain what the hell is going on!" Andrea snarled, baring her teeth at the hanyou.

Inuyasha growled as the night air whipped around, and the shadow of the Sacred Tree danced across them. He was about to pry Andrea's hands off, when Kagome spoke up.

"Listen," Kagome said firmly, and seriously. Andrea let her go, expecting answers. The miko gave her a serious look, her eyes slightly narrowed.

"Inuyasha, come on!" Kagome shouted, as she quickly jumped onto Inuyasha's back. Inuyasha blinked but wasted no time in darting down the shrine steps. Kagome gripped Inuyasha's shoulders. They couldn't help but chuckling as Andrea's voice rang throughout the night.

"Get back here!"

**XoXoXo**

"Get away from me!" Helen shrieked. She focused with her mind, and Sesshoumaru was blasted off his feet. It was useless. Sesshoumaru righted himself midair, and landed gracefully on his feet, raising an eyebrow at her.

"Moving objects is a mere parlour trick," he warned as he unsheathed Ryuko.

Helen's eyes widened as she stared at the sword he raised. That sword...it had been crafted out of his own fang and enchanted by the wily Lady Takeida so Sesshoumaru could use it only if he would protect Helen. It had been the demoness's own way of trying to get them together.

To see that sword—a sword he had used mainly to protect her—raised against her was...Helen's eyes narrowed sadly as she felt the familiar twisting pain in her chest. She had thought he had attacked her only to teach her a lesson, but it seemed as if...he intended on...

_Killing me_, Helen thought. She knew a fight with him was fruitless—he would win, and she would die.

Why?

"Why?" Helen whispered. Unwillingly, tears pooled at the corner of her eyes.

He raised an eyebrow at her as he slowly walked towards her. "Because you are a nuisance," he said calmly, his cold eyes flashing. "You appeared in my world and tormented me with frivolous longing and desire. I find it distracting."

In the blink of an eye he was suddenly in front of her, sword pressed to her throat. Her eyes widened in shock and fear.

"And I do not care for distractions," he went on. His eyes clashed with hers, and she could see nothing but pitilessness in them. "Best to wipe them out."

She wasn't going to let Sesshoumaru kill her.

Quick as a flash, she shoved his blade aside with her forearm. She could feel cold steel bite into her skin, as she shrugged the blade aside, and darted past him. Blood dripped from the deep gash on her forearm, falling like drops of rain to the concrete ground.

She rushed towards the entrance of the alley, but before she could even reach it, she felt a searing heat wrap around her ankle, pulling her backward. She gasped as she lost her balance and fell face first to the ground.

"What a fool," Sesshoumaru muttered.

Helen glanced over her shoulder, her heart racing in dread. He was walking slowly towards her, Ryuko held beside him. His hair blew softly to one side and, for the first time in her life, she knew why people dreaded being on the receiving end of Sesshoumaru's murderous intention; his indifferent eyes, coupled with his desire to kill was enough to paralyze even the most courageous priest.

Helen gasped as she sat up. She glanced at her ankle. There was a painful ring of fiery red flesh around her ankle, and the gash on her arm throbbed with an even greater pain as blood dripped from it.

But all that was nothing compared to the pain in her chest.

"Ow," she muttered, cradling her injured arm. A shadow fell across her. She looked up, and her eyes widened in fear. Sesshoumaru was towering over her. He was silhouetted against the faint glow of the moonlight, his golden eyes piercing and scornful.

Helen sighed, her eyes narrowing sadly. When she used to think of the times when he would protect her... "You...really want...my life, don't you?"

His sword was suddenly pressed against her throat. A single bead of sweat rolled down her temple, and her cheek. "That," Sesshoumaru said blandly, "is obvious."

She sighed again and closed her eyes. She smiled quietly to herself as a single thought flitted through her mind, followed by memories...so many memories. So queer—people always said that one's life flashed before one's eyes at the moment of death...

So, did that mean that her life began when she met him? "Take it, then."

"Oh?"

She opened her eyes and smiled sadly at him. "It's yours."

_Always have, always will be._

**XoXoXo**

"How dare they run off?!?!" Andrea shrieked, clenching her fists, her eyes flashing.

Alicia sighed and then she hit Andrea on the head. "Ow!" Andrea snapped. "Whaddya do that for?!"

"For being loud! And for trying to stop them from leaving!" Alicia said. She placed a hand on her hip. "In case you haven't noticed, they seemed pretty serious about Helen being in danger. If that's the case, if her life really is on the line, then we should call the police!"

Todd looked worried. More than worried, he looked as if he was about to follow after Inuyasha and Kagome. "You have to stay here, Todd," Alicia said, reading the look in his eyes.

Todd bit his lip. "Helen's in danger—I can't just sit around and wait!" His eyes darted to the shrine steps.

"You don't know what you're up against," Alicia said. She clutched his arm. "Listen, what if Helen got into a stint last year? What if...what if she somehow got mingled up with...say, the Yakuza? And they're after her, or something?"

Todd and Andrea were giving her looks. "It is plausible," Alicia muttered.

"My government-cloning-random-people theory sounded much more feasible than _that_!" Andrea countered. "Helen wouldn't get herself mixed in with the wrong crowd—it's just not in her nature. Besides—"

"Where is Helen?"

All three jumped for the second time that night. They turned towards the direction of the well shrine, where an imposing figure was making its way towards them, face half-hidden in shadow.

"Sesshoumaru?" Alicia said, peering into the shadows, still clutching Todd.

The demon lord stopped a yard away from them. The wind blew his hair and sleeves to one side, adding to the imperious aura he gave off. His golden eyes were narrowed at them.

Alicia and Andrea gaped. Sure, they had seen him in the daytime, in his full cosplaying regalia...but there was something about the way the moonlight shone on his silver mane, something about the way his golden eyes looked, something about his imposing stance...

Todd frowned then he stomped on each of the two girls' feet. "Ow!" Alicia and Andrea whined.

"Where is Helen?" Sesshoumaru repeated. His cold voice gave no hint of the impatience he felt. Her scent wasn't in the house, and judging from the little conversation he had heard from Alicia about Helen being in trouble with the...Yakuza (whatever kind of demon that was), he had a sneaking feeling that she was indeed in trouble.

The girl called Andrea was about to answer when the girl called Alicia beat her to it. "We don't know," she said. She looked worried, he noted. "She left with Todd a while ago, but Todd's really here, and—hey!"

Sesshoumaru had heard enough. Helen was in danger—that was all he needed to know. Throwing secrecy to the winds, he turned his back on them and flew off, mokomoko trailing behind him.

Alicia, Andrea, and Todd gaped. "HOLY COW!" the prim Alicia shrieked. "DID HE JUST _FLY_?!"

**XoXoXo**

"Take it."

Helen looked up at Sesshoumaru, her smile mournful. "Like I said, it belongs to you."

His cold eyes bore into her own, and she felt her heart twist. That feeling of pain was so familiar to her that she welcomed it, instead of shying away from it, like what she would have normally done. The pain in her chest only affirmed what she had known all along.

He raised the sword. "Die."

She closed her eyes, ignoring a part of her that wanted to fight him. The sword hissed through the air, and the moment she heard it, her heart contracted. A fraction of a second later, she felt the sharp steel of the blade as it bit into her shoulder. She stoically ignored the excruciating pain, and the instinct to leap away from him...

And then, the pain was gone.

Helen could feel herself falling, falling to the ground, blood gushing from the deep gash on her shoulder. There was too much pain...

She felt her head hit the concrete just as a surge in demonic aura blossomed in the alley. The throbbing pain in her shoulder, on her arm, and on her ankle threatened to thrust her into unconsciousness.

"You...!" She heard Sesshoumaru say.

"Who sent you?" This voice was filled with hidden anger; it was imperiously cold and velvet...it belonged to...Sesshoumaru?

Two voices...?

Helen fought against the blackness that threatened to take hold of her. It took every ounce of her will for her to open her eyes...and wondered if she had gone mad.

Supporting herself on one elbow, she could see the strange scene all too clearly. Sesshoumaru's sword was still poised above her, but something was holding it back—a whip of green light that led to the man standing behind Sesshoumaru.

Helen blinked. _Two _Sesshoumarus...? "What...the...hell...?" Helen muttered. The pain was getting to her head.

But that wasn't the case. The Sesshoumaru whose sword was poised above her head was looking over his shoulder, his cold eyes fixed on the Sesshoumaru whose whip of light restrained his sword. Helen shook her head—this was confusing.

The two demons were glaring at each other.

"What...the hell?!" Helen's voice rose despite her body's desire to plunge her into oblivion.

The two Sesshoumarus turned their gazes to her. "You have got...to be...kidding me," she said, battling oblivion. Which was which? Both seemed like perfect replicas of one another. It was impossible to tell the difference.

The Sesshoumaru who held the whip of light narrowed his eyes at the injuries on her body. His analytic gaze travelled from the deep gash on her shoulder, to the wound on her arm, and to the burn on her ankle. His eyes darted back to hers—they were narrowed menacingly.

On the upside, Helen thought. There was a possibility that it wasn't really Sesshoumaru who wanted her dead. That was a relief, a relief which made her heavy heart feel lighter.

The Sesshoumaru who held the sword glanced at the other Sesshoumaru. Quick as a flash, he threw the sword aside and rushed at Sesshoumaru, claws aimed towards the latter's neck. Sesshoumaru immediately retracted his whip, and drew out his sword just as Sesshoumaru lunged at him. This _was_ confusing...

"Dragon Strike!" Sesshoumaru was knocked off his feet as the powerful blast caught him head on. He was the fake, Helen decided as she watched him fall gracefully back to his feet. He was far too slow—the real Sesshoumaru wouldn't let something like that hit him.

Sesshoumaru stared at the imposter before him. "Who sent you?" he demanded. He was irked—they impersonate him. _Him_, of all people. And it wasn't even properly done. What fools. What audacious, crafty bastards.

The imposter smirked at him. "Lord Sesshoumaru," it said. "Do you honestly expect me to answer that question?"

He glared. Behind the imposter, he could see Helen staring at him with confusion in her silver eyes. She was very badly injured, her wounds bleeding profusely. He could see the bruises forming on her arms and her neck. He tried to muster his indignation at her injuries, and glared at the imposter.

"Oh, I see," the imposter said. "This girl...you care for her, don't you?"

Helen stared at him, a blush spreading across her cheeks. "Ridiculous," Sesshoumaru scoffed. "Cease your banter." He rushed towards the imposter, sword aimed at his throat. The imposter grinned, spread out his arms and, at that instant, a barrier materialized around him, hiding him from view. Sesshoumaru stopped in his tracks and glared at the person within the barrier.

It was a woman. It wasn't Sokoro.

She had full length blue hair, and dark eyes. She was dressed in a midnight blue kimono with a silver obi, with a flowing shawl wrapped around her arms. She was grinning at him. "Hello, Lord Sesshoumaru," she said, smiling.

He glared. "No doubt," Sesshoumaru said. "You are Sokoro's lackey."

"Bravo!" she said, clapping her hands. "My name is Mabo—I am a Creation of Sokoro's."

Sesshoumaru inwardly rolled his eyes. Naraku had Incarnations, and Sokoro had Creations—funny or annoying?

He pointed his sword at her throat. "Where is your mistress?"

Mabo smiled playfully. She seemed to have inherited Sokoro's whimsicality. "Lord Sesshoumaru, what kind of adversary would I be if I revealed my mistress's location? Or her form, for that matter?"

He narrowed his eyes. Form...?

Before Mabo could say anything else, Sesshoumaru rushed at her. Her barrier was weak—he could easily destroy it. Mabo smiled playfully at him as his sword pierced through her barrier, aiming straight for her heart. She took a step back, avoiding the blade by inches. She was as graceful and fluid as water.

"I would love nothing more than to play with you, my lord," Mabo said as her barrier slowly vanished. "However, I think I hear my mistress calling—toodles!" She winked and blew him a kiss before rapidly fading away.

It was suddenly very quiet.

Sesshoumaru let out a breath as he sheathed his sword. Sokoro—she was somewhere out there, here, in this era...

But there would be plenty of time for her later.

He turned his attention to the girl in front of him. Helen was leaning against the wall of the alley. Her eyes were half-closed, and her face was contorted in pain. She was badly injured, with the wound on her shoulder being the worst—it bled profusely. Demon though she was, she wouldn't be able to survive the loss of blood if he didn't help her.

Helen opened her eyes when she felt someone kneeling in front of her. She looked up, and her eyes met Sesshoumaru's. He was regarding her with his ubiquitous cold look. She couldn't deny that she felt more than happy to see him.

"Helen," he said. "You are a fool."

"Am I?" she muttered, her voice barely above a whisper.

"You were taken in by an imposter." He narrowed his eyes. Hn...someone who looked like _him_ managed to get to Helen. This tiny fact only helped to nourish his suspicion regarding her feelings for him.

"Sorry," she said. She smiled at him, and he blinked once. That was the first time she smiled at him since she returned. "But...at least..." Weakly, she raised a hand and placed it on his cheek. It was cold. "You came for me."

He didn't dare show his surprise at this sudden show of affection as he carefully lifted her into his arms. She was unconscious now. He was about to fly off, when all too familiar rough voice cut through the still night air. "Sesshoumaru!"

He glanced over his shoulder just as the miko and Inuyasha fell from above. Kagome leapt off Inuyasha's back the moment the hanyou's feet hit the ground.

"Helen!" Kagome rushed towards him, her eyes fixed on the girl in his arms. "What—what on earth?! What happened to her?!" Her chocolate eyes took in Helen's battered body with horror.

Sesshoumaru didn't bother explaining as he flew off, Helen carefully cradled in his arms. Kagome looked up at them, her teeth bared. "Damn it! Will you quit doing that?!" she shouted up at him.

"Honestly!" Kagome muttered as she turned back to Inuyasha, who was following his brother's flight across the sky with his eyes. "Jerk! C'mon, Inuyasha, let's go back!"

"Ya know," Inuyasha muttered, still looking up at the sky. "I don't see why you aren't used to him yet."

Kagome gave him a look that sent shivers up his spine. "Let's go, Inuyasha!" the miko snapped, getting on his back. "Helen was badly injured—I wanna know why! C'mon!"

**XoXoXo**

"You have a lot of explaining to do!!!" were the first words that greeted Inuyasha and Kagome the moment they returned to the Shrine. They were both climbing the Shrine steps to 'maintain secrecy', as Kagome put it. On top of the steps stood Andrea, Todd and Alicia. Andrea looked both furious and excited, Todd looked confused, while Alicia looked hesitant.

Kagome was five steps beneath them, Inuyasha right behind her. Andrea sounded angry. Foreboding suddenly crept in, and the miko frowned at them. "Is anything wrong?" she asked. Where were Helen and Sesshoumaru? She couldn't detect their aura anywhere...could they have gone back to the Feudal Era?

"Helen and Sesshoumaru aren't here," Inuyasha muttered, his voice so low, only she could hear. She nodded infinitesimally.

"What's wrong?!" Andrea snapped.

"Oh, Helen's come back?" Kagome asked, pretending to sound relieved.

To her surprise, Andrea only looked angrier, Todd narrowed his eyes, and Alicia bit her lip. Their movements were in sync, the miko noted. "Oh, Helen's come back, alright," Andrea said, her voice low. "She came back in Sesshoumaru's arms—badly injured!"

Kagome felt her stomach clench. Surely...Sesshoumaru wasn't stupid enough to...slip up?

"Injured?!" Kagome exclaimed. "What—?"

"But the thing is," Andrea interjected. "She didn't look like Helen at all!"

Kagome blinked, the picture of innocence. "Was she so badly injured that her face is mauled?"

Andrea gave her a dark look. "What kind of injuries turn your hair to gold? Or make your ears all pointy?!" she half-shouted. She was frantic now. "And why," she went on, her voice even louder. "Why the hell did Sesshoumaru just FLY?!"

Kagome inwardly groaned. Sesshoumaru hadn't been too subtle, then. She glanced behind her, at Inuyasha, who was regarding Andrea with a look.

Andrea glared at Inuyasha. "If Sesshoumaru can fly, then what can you do? Wield giant swords?"

Kagome blinked. Okaay. "You have a lot of explaining to do!" Andrea went on.

"Not before you tell me where Sesshoumaru took Helen!" Kagome said.

Andrea looked disgusted. "He took her to that weird well!" she said. She crossed her arms, and glared at the miko and hanyou. "And I'm not gonna let you through unless you explain!" She seemed to have forgotten that she was talking to the granddaughter of the shrine keeper.

"None of your business!" Inuyasha growled, glaring at Andrea, who returned the glare.

Kagome bit her lower lip. Sesshoumaru, that idiot! If he hadn't slipped up, then this wouldn't be happening! The miko wanted to go to the Feudal Era, really, she did. But Andrea was giving her such a look...

"Listen," Kagome said, sighing. "It looks as though Helen's kept a lot from you—and with good reason. This secret is dangerous—very dangerous. And it's just not her secret...it's mine, too. But it's also Inuyasha's and, in a way, Sesshoumaru's too."

"Your point?" Andrea snapped.

"Andrea!" Alicia reprimanded.

Andrea ignored her and looked determinedly at Kagome. She sighed. "Look, I'm sorry if I'm acting like a jerk," Andrea said, her voice softening. "But I just saw one of my best friends transformed into a golden haired stranger. And if that wasn't freaky enough, a hot, flying guy"—Inuyasha's eyebrow twitched at the allusion to Sesshoumaru—"is carrying said best friend in his arms, and telling us to back off. It doesn't even help if said best friend is bleeding like mad! And then they—"

Andrea was interrupted when Todd placed a hand on her shoulder. She looked at him, a frown on her face. Todd turned to Kagome. "Kagome...I just wanna know what's wrong with my girlfriend," he muttered, his voice low.

_Poor guy_, the miko thought._ Not only did he have to see Helen in Sesshoumaru's arms, he had to see her...but not recognize her._ She felt a pang of guilt for offering to help Sesshoumaru take Helen away from him.

She regarded the trio. They were looking expectantly at her. The groaned through the shrine grounds, as though it, too, wanted her to tell them.

"I want to tell you," Kagome said, sighing. "But I think the right person to explain things is Helen, not me."

Andrea opened her mouth, but Alicia stamped on her foot. "Ow!" Andrea snapped, glaring. "That's becoming a habit for you, isn't it?!"

Alicia ignored her. "We understand," Alicia said, and Todd nodded. "We'll wait for Helen...You...you're going to go to wherever she is, aren't you?"

Kagome nodded and smiled at her. "I'll make sure she's alright," she reassured. She turned to Inuyasha. "C'mon, Inuyasha, let's go!"

**XoXoXo**

"Sokoro's creation did this to her...So, that witch is in the Modern Era?" The voice was low, subdued, but rather haughty—Lady Shinsuke's voice.

"Apparently so." Cold and imperious—Sesshoumaru.

"And you weren't there to protect her because...?" Contemptuous but coy—Lady Takeida.

Helen easily recognized the voices that jarred her from her sleep. She kept her eyes closed. What happened? The last thing she remembered was blacking out in Sesshoumaru's arms...

"That," Sesshoumaru was saying, "is irrelevant."

"Irrelevant?!" Lady Takeida snapped, indignant. Helen could easily picture her eyes flashing imperiously. "_You _were supposed to protect her! _You_ were supposed to keep her safe! And what happens? The girl gets mangled."

Sesshoumaru was silent. Helen could almost picture the way his golden eyes would narrow at his mother. For a brief instant, she wondered what he was thinking...

"Seeing as Sokoro is in the Modern Era," Lady Shinsuke said. "I think it's best if Helen remains here."

Helen's eyes immediately flew open as she sat up, clutching the sheets to her chest. "No!" she exclaimed. Lady Shinsuke and Lady Takeida stared at her with surprise in their eyes for approximately a fraction of a second before they schooled their expressions. "I can't stay here!"

Lady Shinsuke looked both hurt and annoyed at her outburst. "You're awake," she said. Her violet eyes narrowed. "And why do you not wish to stay here? Sokoro is obviously in your Era."

Helen shook her head. She became aware of Sesshoumaru's eyes on her, but she ignored it. "There's something very important that I have to do in the Modern Era," she explained.

Lady Shinsuke huffed. "More important than your life?" She raised an eyebrow. Her eyes darted to the bruises on Helen's bare shoulders, and the deep gash on her forearm. The wounds were already healing, but it would take a day or two for the scars to fade away.

Helen nodded. "Infinitely more important," she said. She paused for a moment. "You see...my human mother's getting married, and I'm supposed to be helping."

What was that look in Lady Shinsuke's eyes? "Married, eh?" she huffed. "Ha, good for her. But still, your life is more important."

Helen was about to protest when the door to the room slid open to reveal a maid kneeling in the door. "What?" Lady Shinsuke asked.

"My Lady," the maid said softly, her eyes fixed on the floor. "I beg your pardon, but...Lord Toshimaru is here."

The effect was instantaneous. Helen's eyebrows shot up in surprise—it had been ages since she had seen or heard about Toshimaru. Lady Takeida looked annoyed, and Lady Shinsuke had the same expression as Helen. Sesshoumaru frowned infinitesimally. If there was anyone he openly despised aside from Todd Clarke, it was his cousin, Lord Toshimaru.

"Very interesting," Lady Takeida muttered.

Lady Shinsuke frowned before she gracefully stood up. "Well, better go see what he wants," she muttered as she made for the door.

Lady Takeida glanced from Helen to Sesshoumaru before she, too, stood up. "Wait for me, Shinsuke," she said as she followed her friend out the door. "I have something I wish to say for Sesshoumaru." She glanced slyly over her shoulder, at Helen and Sesshoumaru, before she slid the door behind her.

Helen's eyebrow twitched in annoyance. They loved doing this, really, they did. She sighed and looked down at her hands, frowning and wishing that Sesshoumaru would leave.

He didn't.

She could feel the weight of his gaze on her. She drew the sheets closer, and huffed. The silence was getting awkward...

"Don't you have anything better to do than to stare at people?" Helen snapped. She blushed and pouted.

He decided to play along. "No."

"What about Naraku?" she pointed out.

"Nowhere."

"Go see Toshimaru."

"I might kill him."

She raised an eyebrow. "Reeeaally?" she muttered, rolling her eyes. Before she could stop herself, the words were out of her mouth. "Kill him, right. You didn't even kill him last year." Her eyes widened in shock when she realized what she said.

He raised his eyebrows. "Oh?"

"That's not what I meant!" she said hastily.

"You desire me to take his life?"

"No! Of course not!"

He smirked. "Women are queer creatures, are they not?" he said softly, his cold voice laced with mocking. "You creatures desire that blood be shed for your hands—and yet you do not allow yourselves to be claimed."

She blushed, and glared. "One, I would never, in a million years, ask you do that sort of thing! I mean, you have no reason to, for Pete's sake! Two, _I_ have no reason to ask you to! I love Todd, just so you know"—Sesshoumaru raised an eyebrow, which Helen ignored—"And three! What do you mean by 'claimed', you pompous, self-centered, arrogant jerk!?"

He scoffed. "That mortal," he said, sneering. He tried to school his emotions, but Helen openly declaring her love for that...thing was making it difficult. "Worthless."

She glared. "Todd is not worthless!" she huffed, annoyed. "He's actually very nice! He's kind, sweet, caring, and he understands!"

"Oh? Will he understand what you are?"

She blinked. His golden eyes seemed to mock her. "What do you mean?"

"They know you aren't human," he pointed out.

Helen felt her stomach clench. "What...how...did...?"

"I have no desire to explain," he replied, bored. "The miko will tell you, no doubt."

Her eyes narrowed in suspicion. "What...did you do?"

"I merely saved you."

She glared and then she knelt on her knees so she towered over him. She clenched the sheets with her fists, her eyes narrowing into little slits. "You...you knew that I looked like...like this!" She raised a claw in front of his face. He stared nonchalantly at her display of fury. "But you...you let them see me, didn't you? You let Alicia, Andrea, and Todd see me?!" She sounded angry. What would her friends think? What would Todd think?!

"Yes."

Her face reddened in anger. "You...you...JERK!" she shouted. He raised an eyebrow, unfazed. "You...you...I HATE YOUR GUTS!"

Without warning, his clawed hand suddenly reached out, enclosing around her wrist. Her eyes widened in surprise as he pulled her to him. She fell onto his lap, her face reddening in mortification and anger. "Let me goooooo!" she snarled. She didn't bother trying to loosen her wrists—his grip was as strong as iron.

He looked down at her, his eyes narrowed. "You are noisy."

"And you're a jerk! Always was, always will be!"

Sesshoumaru inwardly sighed. Really, why was it that when he had saved her, she seemed happy to see him? Women were beyond logic. He was silent, his eyes fixed on her. His lack of response made Helen stop fidgeting. The look he was giving her made her blush.

He decided to try one last time. If she still didn't want him, fine. He would quit. He was getting tired of these cat and mouse games of theirs, anyway. "Tell me," he said quietly. She blinked at him. His voice had lost its coldness—he only sounded serious. He pulled her closer until their faces were only inches away. "What you see in the mortal."

She was silent. His question was unexpected and surprising. She couldn't answer him. This...this was what she hated about him. One moment, he would act like such an uncaring, indifferent jerk, the next he would be...like this. His shift in moods was what led Kagome to dub him the 'bipolar bastard.'

She suddenly felt his hand on the small of her back, pressing her closer to him. Her eyes widened in surprise when she realized what he wanted. She hastily looked down, finding neither strength nor will to push him away. Her eyes widened when he let go of her wrist and, with the same hand, tilted her face towards his...

"We both know," he said, his cold voice low. "You see nothing in him." He leaned towards her, his eyes smoldering.

That snapped her out of her trance. Before his lips could find hers, she placed both her hands on his chest, and shoved. He stared at, his eyes meeting hers. "You're wrong," Helen said. Her eyes were narrowed sadly at him. Was that regret he could hear in her voice? She pushed herself off his lap, her eyes fixed on his.

"You know what?" she began. She scowled at him. "That's what I hate about you!"

"Oh?"

"You act like you care when you don't!" Helen snapped, glaring at him. She clenched the sheets even tighter. "You...you don't give a damn about other people's feelings!"

"Oh?"

Helen's face reddened like a tomato. "Stop saying 'Oh?', dammit! It's getting on my nerves!" she snapped.

"Indeed."

She was about to launch into another fit of shouting when she stopped. Her eyes looked downcast. Sesshoumaru inwardly cringed. A shouting, furious Helen he could quite handle—a despondent one, however...

"You know," Helen said quietly. She looked down at her hands clenched on her lap. "When I came back...when I saw you again...I was so happy. You know why?"

He was silent. "Because..." she blushed, but her eyes were melancholic. "I was so happy because I still love you!"

Sesshoumaru's eyebrows shot up in surprise. He knew it was something like that. She still loved him—he knew that all along.

"But," she said.

Buts were bad...

"Loving you is like loving ice!" she said. "I don't hope you'll change—I love you for who you are! But...do you love me? Do you care for me? I don't think you do."

She was an idiot. After all the emotional conflict he'd been through, she didn't think he cared for her?! How stupid was she?

"You asked me...what I see in Todd." She looked him determinedly in the eye. "Sesshoumaru—I see in him what I don't see in you."

And that was that.

**XoXoXo**

**A1969: shoot, I feel so guilty—it took me ages to update! And to think I used to be quick at updating before...  
Inuyasha: you're getting lazy. And I still don't see what's so great about this Edward guy!  
Kagome: he's perfect! He's polite, considerate, sweet, honest –hugging a copy of Twilight- he's very romantic...he's gorgeous...and he's a vampire.  
Inuyasha: keh! I'm a half-demon!  
Kagome: hm...Yes, you're everything he's not—you're crude, you're rude, you're jealous, you're mean...  
Inuyasha: what?!  
A1969: hm...true—Inuyasha's sort of the anti-Edward. Anyway, before you guys start fighting about him, I'd like to thank those who reviewed the previous chapter! And I hope you guys will review this one!**


	7. The Wife and Acceptance

**A1969: it's been ages, I know  
Inuyasha: I thought you really were dead this time.  
A1969: did I disappoint you?  
Inuyasha: very.  
A1969: I'm very sorry for the late update, but things are at their busiest right now. We're finally starting duty at the hospital!  
Kagome: it's alright. Though, I also thought you were dead.  
A1969: anyway, thanks to those who read and reviewed the previous chapter! Hope you enjoy this one!**

**Chapter Seven: The Wife and the Acceptance**

**XoXoXo**

The silence seemed to stretch on and on.

Helen looked down at the sheets that were covering her. She could feel Sesshoumaru's ice-cold stare on her, and it was making her nervous. She didn't dare look up to meet his eyes. What would she see in them if she did? She clenched her fists. Ever since she had arrived, she—no, they _both_ knew that it would come to this. She knew they both had had enough of their fruitless tap dancing around each other.

It was the time to finally end it.

It was time for closure.

The silence was broken by the rustling of silk as Sesshoumaru stood up. He looked down at her, and she avoided his eyes. Yes—enough was enough. It was time he pulled himself together, forgot about his feelings for her, and do what he was supposed to do. He didn't say another word as he left the room.

As soon as the doors slid shut behind him, Helen let out a sigh. She clutched the sheets tighter to her, her brows furrowed. The moment she had made her choice—no, the moment they had made _their_ choice, doubt began to creep in on her, like with all people who are forced to decide on a heavy matter. She shook her head. She was sure that the doubt would soon leave.

Sighing, she lay back down on the futon, her eyes fixed on the mahogany wood of the ceiling. _It's for the best_, she thought. _How many times have Sesshoumaru and I been pulled together, then parted again? How many times have we danced around each other for so long? How many times have I thought of wanting him near me, only to find out that, no matter how far I'd reach out, he was always out of reach? He's like the moon...Cold, distant and unreachable..._

She closed her eyes and let out another frustrated sigh. She admitted that in the past, whenever both of them decided that enough was enough, they would only end up being drawn to each other—again. And being hurt in the process—again. But this time, their parting had a note of finality to it, something that their previous partings never had.

This time, she was sure that enough was enough.

The soft patter of feet on the veranda snapped her out of her stupor. "My Lady?" a maid's voice called out.

"Come in," Helen said, immediately sitting up.

Once again, the door slid open to reveal a maid kneeling in the doorway. "Your mother wishes to know if you're feeling better," the maid announced, keeping her head bowed.

"I'm feeling fine," Helen said. She smiled and, simultaneously, she felt a small, twisting sensation in her chest.

The maid nodded. "That is good, my Lady," she said. "Lady Shinsuke hopes that, if you are feeling better, you would come and greet Lord Toshimaru, who has been asking about you."

Helen's eyes widened in surprise, and she smiled to herself as she felt fondness welling up inside her. When she had first met Toshimaru, she'd had a crush on him—heck, they nearly kissed—but as time had gone by, her crush became nothing more than friendship.

Helen smiled, ignoring the persisting pain in her bosom. "Sure, I'll see him. I just have to get dressed first."

"Does my Lady require assistance?"

Helen shook her head. "No, I can manage." She never would get used to needing assistance just to change.

The maid bowed, her forehead touching the wooden floor, before she left, sliding the door closed behind her. Helen stood up, letting the sheets fall off her. She paused. Was it really so wise to go out and see Toshimaru? The last time she had seen him, it had been a year ago, during their almost-wedding. Just as she and Toshimaru were about to be married, Sesshoumaru—overcoming that damnable pride of his—had showed up and stopped the wedding in the nick of time. Just as he did, Naraku had shown up and kidnapped her. Both Toshimaru and Sesshoumaru had rushed to her rescue, but it was the latter who had ended up saving her.

_If I recall correctly, I haven't said a single word to him since that day,_ she thought. When she had left for the Modern Era, she had forgotten him when she was saying her goodbyes.

She blushed. What if Toshimaru had thought badly of her after that? But then, why would he want to see her, if he did? Maybe she should just pretend that she was still feeling weak...

Sighing, she shook her head began to change.

The pain in her chest persisted.

**XoXoXo**

"Where is Lord Sesshoumaru?" Lady Shinsuke asked when Helen had entered the tearoom in the garden.

Helen stopped, blushed, then shrugged. "I don't know," she mumbled, keeping her eyes on the floor. "He left, and I don't know where he went." She could feel the heat of both Lady Shinsuke and Lady Takeida's eyes on her, and it made her blush even more.

"Helen?"

Helen looked up. The voice was rich and deep and made her eyes widen in surprise. It belonged to a silver-haired, amber-eyed young man who was regarding her with a smile.

"Toshimaru!" Helen said, surprised.

He grinned at her. She couldn't pinpoint it, but there was something different about him, something she couldn't quite lay a finger on. She pushed the thought out of her head as she sat down and greeted him.

"You've been well?" Toshimaru asked.

Helen nodded, then blushed as she remembered their disastrous almost-wedding last year. "Um...I haven't really apologized for..."

He chuckled. "You needn't bother yourself with all that happened in the past," the young lord reassured. "Besides...I came to accept that I could never make you happy the way my cousin could." Helen blushed again, feeling uncomfortable, the pain in her chest only becoming more prominent. "Speaking of which, where is Lord Sesshoumaru?"

"I don't know," she said hesitantly. "I haven't seen him."

He nodded then his look became serious. He was about to ask a question—probably about Sesshoumaru—but, seeing Helen's discomfort, he kept quiet and a silence seemed to fill the room.

"So, Lord Toshimaru," Lady Takeida said, breaking the monotony. "It has been over a year since we heard from you last."

Toshimaru nodded, smiling. "Indeed." He paused. "I am most apologetic for failing to keep in touch with the other Lords, but I was rather busy." Helen noted that his smile softened, as though he was remembering something pleasant. "But enough about me...How have you been, Lady Helen?"

Helen raised her eyebrows. "Since when have you ever called me 'Lady'?" she asked, grinning. "I've been doing fine, thanks for as—"

The sound of polished wood sliding on polished wood stopped Helen. Everyone's eyes turned to the door just as the scent of jasmine filled the room, emanating from the woman standing at the doorway. A woman dressed in an opulent kimono with long dark hair, luminous skin, ruby lips and disturbingly blood-red eyes...

"Kagura?" Helen exclaimed.

Quick as a flash, Lady Shinsuke was standing beside the wind witch, a dagger held to her throat. "Very bold of you, coming in here in such a fashion," the dog demoness commented, her tone ice-cold and deadly. She pressed the dagger to her throat. One flick, and the witch would bleed.

Kagura's eyes widened in surprise and shock as they settled on Toshimaru, who only smiled. "Lady Shinsuke, I understand your concern," the demon lord said, a small and amused smile on his lips. "But is it really necessary to hold your blade to my wife's throat?"

Helen, Lady Shinsuke and Lady Takeida stared at Toshimaru with wide, popping eyes. "_WIFE?"_

**XoXoXo**

_How did I get myself into this mess?_

Helen could think of nothing else as she sat on the stone bench in the palace garden. She wasn't alone—Kagura was sitting an arm's length away from her, and the silence between them was strong and oppressive. After the initial shock that Toshimaru had dealt them, Lady Shinsuke had suggested that Helen and Kagura take a stroll in the garden while Toshimaru explained things to them.

"However, I want you both to walk in sight of the tearoom, so I can see you," Lady Shinsuke had said, not trusting Kagura, despite the fact that she was Toshimaru's wife now.

And thus..._this_.

Helen sighed. Neither she nor Kagura had done anything to break the silence. She discreetly glanced at the wind witch from the corner of her eye. Kagura was indeed different now. Aside from her appearance, which was greatly enhanced due to her long hair and opulent kimono, there was something different about her, something the demoness couldn't quite put her finger on...what was it?

In a snap, Helen knew. Kagura no longer felt malevolent. In the past, whenever they encountered one another, she could always feel Kagura's hatred and jealousy towards her. Now, there was nothing in her manner to suggest the slightest ounce of hostility. If anything else, the wind witch seemed placid and serene.

Though that did absolutely nothing to stifle the oppressive silence.

Helen let out a breath. It was like a TV drama, sitting in the garden with the woman who once tried to steal away the man you love...wait, love? She shook her head. She didn't love him anymore. She let out another breath. Time to break the quiet.

"So, er..." she began, feeling herself blush. Kagura glanced at her. "Erm...You and Toshimaru..."

Kagura shrugged. "What about it?"

_Get a grip, Helen! _the young woman thought. "How did you two...after the fight with Naraku last year?"

Kagura raised an eyebrow. "Why don't you ask me properly?" she suggested. Was that mockery and amusement in her voice, or was Helen imaging it? "You're going to ask how I ended up marrying Toshimaru when he sorely hated me last year, aren't you?"

"You're a mind-reader," Helen said quietly. "Yeah—I'm curious."

Kagura smirked, then, much to Helen's surprise, she let out a long sigh. "After that fight with Naraku, I was as battered as a rag doll..." she began.

**XoXoXo**

"_It's you."_

_Kagura glanced up at Toshimaru, feeling both dread and fear grip her. Toshimaru gave her a cold look as he glanced down at her with narrowed eyes. Kagura felt the hard wood of the tree trunk behind her and felt panicked when she realized that she had no weapon, and nowhere to run._

_Toshimaru took in her appearance. A bruise was forming on her right cheek. Her left eye appeared swollen and a jagged cut ran down her left temple. There was a cut on her lip, and, as he watched, a drop of blood dripped from the cut and on to her kimono, which was torn in some places. A pitiful sight._

"_Kagura," Toshimaru said quietly._

_She glared at him. "What do you want?"_

_He shook his head as he turned and walked away, towards the forest. Kagura felt relief fill her. He had left her alone. _

"_Thank kami," she muttered, looking up at the tree's leaves. She narrowed her eyes. Soon, she would have to get up and leave to find a more suitable shelter while she recuperated. She closed her eyes and fell asleep._

_Several hours later, Kagura's eyes flew open. But it wasn't the rising sun's light that bothered her—it was the incessant sound of buzzing in her ears. Her eyes widened in surprise and fear. She was surrounded by a hoard of Saimyoshou._

_Her mouth went dry as she stood up on shaky legs. Naraku's Saimyoshou had her completely surrounded. Why? Had they come for her? But _why_? She had her heart, she was free..._

_Then realization hit her, and it hit her hard. Naraku wanted her dead. He knew that it was she who had told Sesshoumaru the whereabouts of Helen, and he wanted to get even._

_Blind fear gripped her. Not only had she lost her fan, she was still too weak to fight them off. She was even more panicked when she realized that, with her heart finally returned to her, she had lost the ability regenerate herself._

Run.

_As soon as the thought hit her, she charged through the crowd of Saimyoshou, her arm covering her head. She heard their incessant buzzing as she ran, her heart thundering in her chest. She shouted as she felt several stingers pierce her arms._

"_Leave me alone!" she shrieked._

_Her eyes widened when she suddenly lost her footing and stumbled towards the ground. She looked up just as the hoard of Saimyoshou sped towards her._

"_NO!" she shrieked, her eyes wide. _

_Her vision was suddenly clouded with blue. "What?" she said. She realized a barrier had been erected around her. The Saimyoshou rammed against the barrier and as they did, they burned and fell to the ground. The remaining Saimyoshou suddenly stopped and the barrier around Kagura expanded so it came into contact with the remaining Saimyoshou. There was a hiss as the insects fell to the ground, dead._

_The barrier around Kagura suddenly vanished, and acrid stench of burning insects filled her nostrils. She glanced behind her. Someone was leaning against the tree, his arms crossed, his eyes looking down at her. She couldn't make out his face, which was shadowed._

"_Who...are—" She was cut off when she felt a piercing pain in her arm. She looked at it, and felt horror settling in her stomach. Five orange stingers were embedded deep in her skin. Fear gripped her as she immediately began to pluck them out, but the stingers only burrowed deeper into her flesh._

_She gasped as they vanished into her arm. _No_, she thought._ The poison...will...

_She suddenly heard steps behind her. She glanced behind from over her shoulder, and found herself looking at a pair of black boots...? Her eyes blurred as the poison spread through her. She felt herself falling to the ground as cold sweat broke out on her forehead. Black slowly started to crawl through the edges of her vision..._

_She looked up. A face was leaning over her. It was silhouetted against the sunlight, but she could make out a pair of startling amber eyes._

"_Ses...Sesshoumaru?" she mumbled before everything turned black._

_As she carefully became aware of her surroundings, Kagura's eyes slowly began to open. She decided to keep her eyes shut. She was dead, she knew that...but wait. Something was not right. Naraku's incarnations did not possess souls, including her. She shouldn't be aware of an afterlife. Besides, if she was granted such a thing, she had a feeling she wouldn't be going anywhere pleasant. _

_So...why did she feel so...good?_

_She felt well. Every single injury on her body was gone. She felt refreshed, energized. She also felt the soft feel of silken sheets on her body._

_Wait...silken sheets?_

_Surely, she was dead? But why would there be silken sheets...?_

_Her eyes flew open, and she found herself staring at the intricately carved beams of a ceiling. She blinked. This was not right. The last thing she remembered was the Saimyoshou's poison slowly spreading through her, veiling her vision with black and shutting her body down...she also remembered looking into a pair of imperious amber eyes before she had passed out._

_Amber eyes...Sesshoumaru._

_She shook her head. Now was not the time to think of Sesshoumaru. She took in her surroundings. The room, though sparsely furnished, was opulent. The paper screens of the shutters were decorated with paintings of birds and trees. In a corner was a polished mahogany table, in another was a brazier where a small flame burned cheerfully. _

_The wind witch glanced at the shutters. The lack of light coming from beyond them told her that it was night. How long had she been unconscious? Why wasn't she dead yet? She knew how potent the Saimyoshou's poison was..._

_She was snapped out of her musings when she heard footsteps just outside her door. She glanced at it. A figure was outlined against the door. Sesshoumaru...? The door to the room slid open and Kagura's eyebrows shot up in surprise. _

"_I see you're awake," Toshimaru commented as he entered and quietly slid the door behind him._

"_You!" Kagura said._

_He raised an eyebrow at her. "Me."_

"_What happened? Why am I here?" Kagura demanded._

_Toshimaru regarded her for a moment. "After I saved you, the Saimyoshou's poison nearly killed you," he said blandly. "I brought you here to my palace, so my physician could treat you."_

_She stared at him. "Treat me?" she said indignantly. "Why the hell would you even help me out?"_

"_Would you rather you were dead right now?"_

_She glared. "Don't answer my question with one of your own!" she huffed._

_He tilted his head at her. "You're right," he said quietly. "I should have just let you die, rather than waste my time bringing you here and ensuring that you survived." The irony in his voice made her seethe even more._

"_You...!"_

_He shook his head. "The reason I brought you here is simple. You helped Sesshoumaru and I find Naraku, thus finding Helen."_

_She stared at him. "You saved me because of the girl?" _

_He nodded. "Indeed," he said. "There is no other reason. I merely repaid a debt to you."_

_Kagura lifted an eyebrow almost mockingly at him and, much to his surprise, she chuckled. "Unbelievable," Kagura muttered, shaking her head. "Helen obviously chooses Sesshoumaru yet you regard her enough to save me?"_

_Toshimaru narrowed his eyes dangerously at Kagura before he turned and left the room, slamming the door with a loud bang._

"_Heh," Kagura muttered to herself. "Both he and Sesshoumaru are idiots."_

_She lay back down and closed her eyes. "Might as well enjoy myself before I leave."_

**XoXoXo**

"Did you leave?" Helen, who was hanging onto Kagura's every word, asked.

Kagura shrugged. "I tried to," she said. "But the next morning, Toshimaru refused to let me go. Why? Because, according to him, I insulted him. I told him that I was being frank, not insulting. In retaliation, he prevented me from leaving."

"He locked you up?" Helen's eyes were wide as saucers.

"You can say that," Kagura said. "Though, he didn't lock me up in the dungeon. He let me have my first room, but I couldn't leave the palace. Every time I tried, either he or the guards would stop me...and I was powerless to fight back."

"And then...?"

"You've got brains, don't you?" Kagura said, sighing. "Use your imagination. He kept me locked up, occasionally visiting me. One thing led to another and we ended up marrying."

Helen smiled. "I love a good ending," she said, looking back up at the sky. "And I'm happy for Toshimaru."

"Really?"

Helen looked at her and nodded, her smile widening. "I really do think Toshimaru deserved someone better than me." She paused. "Someone who could love him for who he was, not because he was a means of forgetting someone else."

Kagura was quiet. "Truth be told, when I was starting to have feelings for Toshimaru, I hated you with a passion."

"Eh?" Helen said, surprised. She looked down at her lap. "Of course you did."

"You wanna know why?" Kagura folded both hands on her lap and looked Helen in the eye. "Because I realized how much you had meant to Toshimaru. But you only ended up hurting him, all because of Sesshoumaru."

Helen blushed and looked down at her feet. "I know," she said quietly. "I'm...ashamed of what I did to Toshimaru. At that time, I only chose to marry him because I hoped that he would make me forget Sesshoumaru, but..." She shook her head. "I really am sorry for hurting him. But...I'm happy now."

"Oh?"

Helen nodded and grinned. "Because he found someone to make him happy again."

Kagura's eyes widened in surprise and a small smile curved her lips. Her voice was guarded, but her words were sincere enough. "Thank you."

**XoXoXo**

"This is rather unexpected," Lady Shinsuke remarked as soon as Toshimaru and Kagura had left.

Helen sighed as she sipped her tea. "How many times have you said it?" she muttered. "Five? Ten?"

Lady Takeida nodded in agreement. "Of all the women in the lands to wed—he had to go and pick someone of no class, no connections and, furthermore, someone who happens to be an incarnate of Naraku." She grimaced as though the words left a bad taste in her mouth.

"Kagura's not an incarnate of Naraku anymore," Helen pointed out, feeling defensive for the couple. "Besides...Toshimaru wants her, and she makes him happy."

Lady Takeida rolled her eyes. "Still...once this gets out, he'll be the laughing stock of all the nobles."

Helen pursed her lips. "Just leave them alone."

"Enough of them," Lady Shinsuke said imperiously. "Anyway, Helen...will you be returning to the Modern Era?"

Helen blinked. "Yes," she said quietly. "I promised my human mother that I'd be there for her wedding, and I'm going to keep that promise."

Lady Shinsuke frowned. "I would rather you stayed here and didn't return"—Helen opened her mouth, about to protest—"but, I can see that you're too stubborn to listen. Of course, I can't blame you—the pigheadedness comes from me." She grinned but then her expression turned serious. "Sokoro is dangerous, Helen. If you confront her face-to-face, I doubt even Sesshoumaru can defeat her."

"But," Helen said. "I promised my human mother that I—"

"I know, I know," Lady Shinsuke interjected. She bit her lower lip and was quiet for a moment, a thoughtful look in her violet eyes. "Helen...you do know that it would give me peace of mind if Sesshoumaru were to accompany you."

Helen nodded. "I know." She didn't like the thought of him accompanying her again...especially since their little talk not too long ago.

"It will also give me additional piece of mind if I came with you to the Modern Era."

"I know—wait, WHAT?" Helen exclaimed, her eyes bugging out.

Lady Shinsuke tilted her head at her, a small, amused smile on her lips. "You...you want to come with me?" Helen said, her eyebrows rising.

The demoness smirked. "Of course."

"But, but..." Helen stammered. A brief mental image flashed through her mind of her demoness mother in the Modern Era. She shuddered. It wasn't a comforting picture. She shuddered as she thought of the words _Lady Shinsuke_ and _technology_ at the same time. Her eyebrow twitched. She could easily think of a thousand things—all ranging from moderate to disaster—that could happen while Lady Shinsuke was in the Modern Era.

Lady Takeida looked amused at Helen's befuddled expression. "If you intend to go, Shinsuke, I shall come with you!" she declared, grinning.

"WHAT?" Helen exclaimed. With Lady Shinsuke and Lady Takeida...no. She didn't want to think about it. If she did, she was going to get a migraine.

Both demonesses were smirking at her and she inwardly cringed. Was it her, or were those smirks filled with malicious intent? She closed her eyes and let out a troubled breath. What to do...?

"Are you sure you can leave the palace?" Helen asked, opening her eyes and raising an eyebrow at Lady Shinsuke.

Her mother shrugged. "Why not? I own the palace—I can leave any time I wish." Her smirk turned into a smile. "I can leave the running of the lands to Lord Hirosaki. His family is one of our vassals, and I trust him with my life."

It was then that Lady Takeida's smirk vanished. "You actually trust your vassals?" she said, incredulous. "I am amazed. Sesshoumaru, however, does not have your trusting nature, Shinsuke. In his absence, I rule the West...and I doubt that he would be very pleased if I left it unprotected." She shook her head. "I am afraid I cannot join you on your little adventure."

Helen's spirit lifted a little. "I agree with Lady Takeida," Helen said. "You can't be too trusting, you know."

Lady Shinsuke looked crestfallen. Helen blinked as her mother buried her face in her hands. "Oh, this is the sorrow of a mother!" the demoness said dramatically, her voice loud and tragic. "When our children all grow up, they wish to forsake those that brought them into this world! Oh, unhappy mother I am! My own daughter, whom I have not seen in a year, wishes to leave me again!" She sobbed theatrically into her hands.

Helen cringed. "Wait! Are you crying?" She failed to notice Lady Takeida, who had seen this act more than once, roll her eyes.

Lady Shinsuke only wailed louder. "Ah!" Helen exclaimed, raising her arms. "No! I didn't mean to offend you...mom. It's just that I thought—"

The demoness peeked through her fingers. "What does this 'mom' mean?" she sobbed.

Helen sweat-dropped. "It means 'mother'."

Lady Shinsuke nodded—then she wailed louder. "She calls me 'mom', but she does not wish to spend time with me, her own mother!"

"No! I want to spend time with you!" Helen exclaimed, seeing no other alternative. "Please! Come with me to the Modern Era! We'll have a lot of fun, I swear!" _Fun here having the meaning of disaster, that is._

Lady Shinsuke automatically stopped sobbing and looked at Helen through splayed fingers. "You are not jesting?" she asked, pretending to be hesitant.

Helen shook her head and smiled genuinely at her. "No. I really do like spending time with you"—_Though, I'd rather it wasn't in the Modern Era—_"and I want to enjoy some time with you."

Lady Shinsuke smiled then she lowered her hands. _Why am I not surprised to find that her eyes are dry?_ Helen thought drily.

"Wonderful!" the overly dramatic demoness exclaimed, clapping her hands together. She stood up. "I shall go make the necessary preparations immediately!" Without further ado, the demoness rushed out the door, her hair flying behind her.

Reality washed over Helen as she slapped a hand to her forehead. "What the heck have I done?" she muttered to herself.

Lady Takeida chuckled. "You don't know how happy that makes her feel," the demoness pointed out.

Helen stared at her. "Happy?"

The lady nodded. "Of course," she went on. "Imagine—Shinsuke had to send you away when you were a baby. She had to let go of you. How would that make a mother feel?" She paused. "Then you return to her. She was so overjoyed to see you, didn't you know? But then...you leave for a year again. But now you're back, but you want to spend your time in the Modern Era...with your human mother."

Helen looked down. "It's not that I don't want to spend time with her...it's just that..."

Lady Takeida smiled knowingly. "I know you're not quite used to her being your mother yet. And I can't say that I blame you. But...don't you think it would be fair if you just gave her a chance? She is, after all, your real mother."

Helen sighed then looked up at the demoness. "I know, it's just that I can't imagine what would happen if..." She shook her head. "The Modern Era is so different from this era...I'm afraid she might slip up..."

"Shinsuke does tend to be overly dramatic," Lady Takeida said, nodding. "But, if Sesshoumaru can handle it, so can she."

Helen inwardly cringed and her eyebrow twitched at the mention of Sesshoumaru. That idiot! He'd revealed what she...what they _both_ were to Todd and the others. What would happen when she returned to the Modern Era? Would her friends still accept her? Would they tell anyone else about her? What would Todd think? Her heart suddenly sank. Would he...break up with her?

She sighed and closed her eyes. _Sesshoumaru, you idiot_, she thought angrily._ For someone so cunning, how could you do something so stupid? But, of course, it was intentional, wasn't it? You wanted to ruin my life._ She suddenly remembered the horridly cold look he'd given her when they had said their final goodbye earlier. She cringed again.

Helen was snapped out of her mental jargon when the door to the tearoom slid open with a bang and a woman stood in the doorway. She looked young, maybe in her late twenties. She had long dark hair that fell to her waist in a wavy cascade, and her eyes were a startling shade of sapphire.

Helen and Lady Takeida stared at her. "Shinsuke?" Lady Takeida exclaimed.

"Mother?" Helen gasped, her eyes wide.

The woman at the doorway smirked at Helen. "You're not the only one with a human disguise, you know."

**XoXoXo**

Sesshoumaru stepped into the sunlit clearing and felt the harsh glare of the light on his eyes. He narrowed his eyes slightly as they adjusted to the harsh glare. He found himself standing at the edge of the clearing of the Bone Eater's well.

He walked towards the well and looked down into its depths. Helen's scent was not here, which made him think that she was still in the Feudal Era. He glanced up at the sky. The moment they had decided that enough was enough, he had felt strangely at peace, as if he had finally made his decision that put his mind at ease. He was sure that he would no longer be troubled with inner emotional battles that caused turmoil in the deepest recesses of his mind. He was sure that his feelings for her would now gradually disappear.

They _should_.

After he had left Helen, he had immediately made his way back to the Bone Eater's well. He glanced again into the well. Soon, she would show up and they would return to the Modern. Hn...very interesting.

A movement among the trees caught his attention. Even from a distance, he could tell who it was, but what surprised him was the scent that accompanied hers.

"You look surprised, Lord Sesshoumaru," a familiar voice with an unfamiliar owner said, stepping out of the trees.

"Oh?" Sesshoumaru said coldly, staring at the unfamiliar Lady of the East. "What a surprise."

Lady Shinsuke smirked at him, her piercing blue human eyes narrowed almost mockingly. "I dare say, though you hide it well, is it safe to presume your surprise is genuine?"

He scoffed. He had never seen the lord or lady of one of the lands lower herself to...this—wearing the guise of a hum. And he was rather condescending about it. His eyes drifted from Lady Shinsuke to the younger girl standing behind her. They looked very much alike, he thought.

For a moment, Helen forced herself to hold his eyes—everything was fine. There was no need to shy away from him. He, likewise, returned her look. Helen inwardly cringed. When she'd look into those amber eyes before, she could always see conflict—a sign of his feelings for her. But now, all she could see was an iciness she had never seen before. She pulled her eyes away and looked down at the ground.

Lady Shinsuke observed and remained quiet. She turned her attention to the well. "So!" the cheery human-looking lady said, clapping her hands together. "What am I to expect from the Modern Era?" She smiled as she sat at the edge of the well, her blue eyes fixed on Sesshoumaru and Helen.

Helen felt grateful for the distraction. "Simple," she said, taking several steps towards her mother. She stood in front of the demon in disguise and crossed her arms. "You have to be discreet."

The lady lifted an eyebrow at her daughter. "Discreet? Is this human guise not discreet enough for you?"

"It is," Helen reassured. "But being discreet doesn't just mean your appearance. You also have to mind your actions. You can't use your powers and you can't do things a normal human can't do, say, for example...jumping from the top of a building to the ground..." She shook her head and sighed.

Lady Shinsuke's lips curved into a smile. "Ah..." she said. She turned her attention to Sesshoumaru. "Does she nag at you as well?"

"Who's nagging?" Helen snapped, glaring.

Sesshoumaru ignored her. "Most of the time."

Helen turned her glare to him. "Jerk," she muttered under her breath.

He ignored her.

Once again, Lady Shinsuke took this in silently. "So!" she said cheerfully. "Shall we get going?"

**XoXoXo**

Lady Shinsuke was the first out of the well, leaving Helen alone with Sesshoumaru for a second before the demon lord promptly followed after the Lady of the East. Helen sighed and leaned her back against the woody walls of the well. She didn't want to go out—she felt uneasy. No, more than uneasy...she felt afraid. Afraid not because of her erratic demoness mother, but because of...

She looked up and felt her heart race. Coming from the outside were several unmistakable voices...

"You!" the familiar, deep voice of Todd said.

"Sesshoumaru, you have a lot of explaining to do!" Andrea's voice chimed in. She sounded annoyed.

"Where is Helen?" Helen heard Alicia demand.

"Who is that?" Kagome's voice joined the ruckus.

Helen bit her lower lip. She toyed with a strand of her dark, human hair before jumping out of the well and stepping out of the Well Shrine.

The moment Helen stepped out of the Well Shrine and into the bright sunlight, the voices around her suddenly hushed. The bright sunlight hit her eyes, making her blink and close them. It took half a second for them to adjust. As she slowly opened her eyes, she saw everyone looking at her.

Andrea and Alicia both had hesitant and confused looks on their faces. Alicia was biting her lower lip, and Andrea's mouth was slightly parted, a trait of hers when she was in serious doubt. Kagome and Inuyasha were both looking cautious and curious—their curiousity directed towards the other dark-haired woman, whom Inuyasha realized was none other than the Demon Lady of the East. Lady Shinsuke was regarding Helen with a look akin to both encouragement and support, her arms crossed. Sesshoumaru...his eyes were unreadable.

But all that was on the peripheral of her vision.

The majority of her attention was focused on the boy standing in front of her, the shadows of the Sacred Tree dancing slowly across him.

Helen's eyes widened as Todd looked straight at her. His expression was guarded, his lips drawn in a tight line. His arms were crossed—never a good sign. She took a step towards him, her eyes begging him. He frowned, his eyebrows meeting in the middle—again, it was not a good sign.

Helen felt defeated. Todd's stance only told her all that she needed to know—that he didn't want her, that he couldn't forgive her for betraying him. She let out a sigh. She really did love him...

Todd's expression suddenly relaxed, and a small smile curled his lips. Helen's eyes widened in surprise as Todd spread his arms open...

Helen didn't waste a single second. She rushed to him and threw herself into his arms, which wrapped slowly around her shoulders. There was silence all around them, a silence that was broken only by the soft rustling of the wind.

Todd buried his head in Helen's hair. He smelled the faint scent of raspberries, and closed his eyes—she was still the same. He couldn't deny that he had been terribly shaken by the sight of Sesshoumaru carrying a blonde-haired demoness in his arms...a demoness who was Helen. But he was past that now. She obviously had a secret that she'd been hiding, and he doubted that it was without good reason.

He let out a sigh. It wasn't easy for him to accept this...this secret of hers, whatever the whole of it was. But he would _listen_ to her. He would be fair and understanding. After all, wasn't that a boyfriend's job?

The others had been watching the pair in silence. Andrea and Alicia both looked relieved. They had sincerely thought that Todd would want to break up with Helen. They had no doubt that Helen would be greatly affected. After all, wasn't Todd the one Helen had loved from the start?

Kagome stared at the two, both their thoughts taking different turns. Kagome was both confused and guilty—she had once agreed to help Sesshoumaru break up the pair, but now that she saw Helen and Todd together, guilt racked her. Todd sincerely seemed to care about Helen, accepting her for what she was, forgiving her for the secret that she kept from him. In comparison, Sesshoumaru had been nothing but cold, distant, and hurtful towards Helen. It was only natural that Helen would eventually give him up...After all, wasn't all the hurt and pain he had put her through been enough?

Lady Shinsuke was visibly shocked and surprised—her daughter in the arms of a worthless human! Though said human had his appeal, he was _still _a human. He was just worthless fodder compared to her demoness daughter! What one earth was the world coming to? She looked incredulous. She glanced towards Sesshoumaru, expecting—and hoping—that one of his attacks of jealousy would surface, but to her surprise, the young lord only regarded the pair with an indifferent mien. Lady Shinsuke frowned. This was strange...Didn't Sesshoumaru love Helen, after all?

The demon lord himself regarded the pair with narrowed and indifferent eyes. Yes, he couldn't deny that he sorely longed to run Todd through his claws...He couldn't deny the rage that he felt brewing inside of him, a rage that, compared to before, he found that he easily tamed...He couldn't deny that he had been hoping that Todd would push Helen, which was supposed to be the result of his intentional exposure of her demon form in the first place. But it only seemed to have back fired...

_You asked me...what I see in Todd…I see in him what I don't see in you.  
_

Her words echoed through his thoughts. To think that a mortal of no consequent value would be more preferable to _him_, him who was the most sought-after demon in the whole of Feudal Japan (and possibly in the whole of Asia)! He inwardly scoffed.

Heh.

He turned on his and walked away. After all...both he and Helen knew that things would never be the same again.

**XoXoXo**

**A1969: that's that for now.  
Inuyasha: whatever.  
A1969: shut up! Anyway, I'm really sorry for not being able to update frequently. A new anime obsession and school are really taking my time. But don't worry—with Christmas break coming up soon, I think I'll have more time to update!  
Kagome: that sounds great! Y'know, you really had me on edge there as well.  
Inuyasha: ha! Even Kagome agrees with me.  
A1969: shut up.  
Kagome: I'm not agreeing with you, Inuyasha.  
Inuyasha: whaddya mean, you're not?  
A1969: I sense a storm brewing. Anyway, I hope you guys continue to read and review!**


	8. Twenty Bucks

**Chapter Eight: Twenty Bucks**

**XoXoXo**

"Excuse me?"

Helen pulled away from Todd as she turned towards Lady Shinsuke, whose eyebrow was raised somewhat peevishly at her. "And who is this…young man?"

Helen's grin faltered slightly. Lady Shinsuke was smiling at her, but it was a smile that did not reach her eyes. It was a very, very, _very_ insincere smile. Whenever Lady Shinsuke looked at Helen, it was always a warm and welcoming smile that graced her lips. For the moment, there was neither warmth nor welcome in Lady Shinsuke's eyes as she stared at Todd, but a covert hostility.

"This is Todd, my boyfriend," Helen said, as she pulled Todd forward. She was, admittedly, quite nervous. Her demoness mother may be tolerant of humans, but having a daughter who was in a relationship with one was going beyond the line. Besides…everyone knew perfectly well whom Lady Shinsuke preferred for her daughter.

Helen's theory was confirmed when Lady Shinsuke gave Todd a charming smile that still failed to reach her eyes. It was, admittedly, a very disquieting look. "Ah, I see," she said. "Your human lover?"

Todd, Alicia, and Andrea blinked at her. Helen bit her lower lip. "Yes," she said, forcing herself to smile.

Kagome and Inuyasha shared a knowing look. Though not quite obvious to Helen's friends, it was quite clear to them that Lady Shinsuke did not like the thought of a human as her daughter's boyfriend. Kagome inwardly groaned, praying this would not turn into a Feudal version of _Meet the Parents_.

"And who are you, anyway?" Andrea said, raising an eyebrow at the woman, whom she immediately disliked on the spot.

"Oh, me?" Lady Shinsuke turned to her, a delicate eyebrow arched. "I am Helen's birth mother."

"WHAT?!" Andrea exclaimed, her eyes widening. "Hold up! How can you be her mother? I mean, you're…like…twenty-eight or something!"

Lady Shinsuke smirked. "I take that as a compliment."

Alicia and Todd both had the same dubious expressions as Andrea. Helen sighed. "I'll explain everything inside," she said. "_Inside_, Andrea," Helen repeated, as her friend was about to open her mouth again.

"Oh, good," Lady Shinsuke said, the air of hostility quickly disappearing. "I'm rather tired." She glanced around her. "Now, where is Sesshoumaru?"

The demon in question was leaning against the Sacred Tree, arms folded imperiously as he regarded them with cold eyes. "Sesshoumaru," Lady Shinsuke called out. "Don't dally over there."

Helen tucked her hand in Todd's offered arm as she led everyone into the house. She did not throw Sesshoumaru a second glance.

**XoXoXo**

"My, Helen, and who is this?" Mrs. Higurashi said the moment Helen and Kagome led everyone into the house.

"Cozy," Lady Shinsuke said, her eyes taking in everything around her.

"Aunt H., this is—" Helen began.

"Helen!" At that moment, Hsia came out of the kitchen, a wide grin on her face. "Robert just told me that…" Her voice trailed off when she saw the people accompanying Helen and Kagome. Her eyes fell on Lady Shinsuke. "Oh, friends of yours?"

Helen sighed. Here was the introduction that she was nervous of. "Mom, this is—"

Once again, Helen was interrupted when Lady Shinsuke stepped forward, a pretty smile on her face. "Hello," she said pleasantly. "I am Lady Shinsuke of the Shirogawa clan. I also happen to be Helen's birth mother." There was no mistaking the air of smugness she wore. Her daughter was _hers_, and this human would do well to remember it.

Kagome and Helen threw each other nervous looks as Hsia tilted her head, a puzzled expression on her face. Then she smiled and extended her hand to the demoness. "It's a pleasure meeting you," she said. Helen inwardly quailed. Hsia's smile was as insincere as Lady Shinsuke's! "I am Hsia Higurashi, the woman who _raised_ Helen."

Helen slapped a hand to her forehead. _Kami_, this was more than _Meet_ _the Parents!_

Lady Shinsuke stared at Hsia's outstretched hand, a puzzled expression on her face. "You're supposed to shake her hand," Kagome offered. She was just as nervous as Helen and, admittedly, concerned for her Aunt's safety.

The demoness turned to her, an elegant eyebrow raised. "Shake?" she said, tilting her head. "I do not understand. You want me to make her hand shake?"

"No!" Kagome said quickly before Lady Shinsuke could act. "I mean…um…you do this."

Kagome felt self-conscious as she shook her Aunt's hand. _The level of awkwardness is too damn high!_ she thought.

Lady Shinsuke frowned as she watched the _miko_. "A queer human custom," she commented. She gave Hsia a smile and offered her hand.

Helen watched, inwardly squirming, as the two women shook hands. She could have sworn she saw a look pass between them. She inwardly marvelled at her human mother's ability to stand her ground, despite Lady Shinsuke's mounting demonic aura.

Sesshoumaru, who had been watching the exchange from the back, had braced himself for any one of Lady Shinsuke's dramatic outbursts. It was, admittedly, a trait that she and his dear mother shared. Satisfied that the Eastern Lady was not going to make a scene, he allowed his gaze to shift to Helen whose hand was still tucked firmly in Todd's arm. He glared at the back of the boy's head, willing himself to keep his emotions under check. It was a daunting task.

"Is it just me, or did the tension in the atmosphere suddenly weigh a hundred tonnes?" Alicia whispered to Andrea. Helen threw them a glare over her shoulder.

"Anyway…" Helen said loudly, hoping to break the tension. "Um…I have a lot of explaining to do."

"You most certainly do," Hsia said, raising an eyebrow at her daughter.

"Ehe…" Helen said, feeling the combined force of Lady Shinsuke and Hsia's eyes on her. She turned to Mrs. Higurashi. "Aunt Higurashi, do you mind if we borrow the living room?"

Her Aunt smiled. "Not at all," she said. "Make yourselves at home."

**XoXoXo**

"So, uh…where to begin," Helen muttered to herself once everyone was situated in the living room. She glanced around. Todd, Andrea, and Alicia were kneeling on cushions on one side of the room with Inuyasha, Kagome and Hsia. Lady Shinsuke knelt on a cushion on the other side, while Sesshoumaru stood at the back, leaning against the wall, both arms folded across his chest. To everyone's initial surprise, Souta was sitting cross-legged beside Sesshoumaru.

"Kagome?" Helen said, turning to her cousin.

Kagome sighed as she stood up. "Well, it all started with my cat, actually," the _miko_ said sheepishly. She then began to relate how she had been pulled into the well, and how she'd freed Inuyasha from his seal. Then she explained about the Sacred Jewel, and about Naraku and all the atrocities he'd done, and how they were currently on a quest to find the fragments of the jewel.

"So, where does Hellie fit in?" Alicia asked. Unlike Andrea, who had been hanging to Kagome's every word with open-mouthed astonishment, she looked both intrigued and skeptical.

Helen frowned as she began explaining her side of things. She began with how she'd seen Kagome and Inuyasha go into the Well shrine and not come back. She'd followed them in, and accidentally fell into the well when Buyo scared her. She wisely omitted how she'd met and been kidnapped by Sesshoumaru (who raised an eyebrow at her). Instead, she told them that she'd learned the truth of her heritage from Lady Shinsuke. Admittedly, she saw fit to leave out the parts that included Sesshoumaru (who managed to keep from rolling his eyes at her childish behaviour). She ended with their encounter with Sokoro, and how the demoness was in the Modern Era.

"So let me get this straight," Alicia said, pointing to Kagome. "You're a priestess, Inuyasha's half a dog demon, Sesshoumaru is his older, full dog demon brother, and you're all after some guy named Naraku?"

Kagome nodded. Alicia turned her attention to Helen. "And you're…well not human, like Sesshoumaru. Lady Shinsuke is your birth mother…uh, your _demoness_ birth mother"—Lady Shinsuke looked even more smug—"and currently, some god-like demon is after you and Sesshoumaru. Did I get that right?"

Helen nodded. Alicia let out a low whistle. "Well…um…I have mixed feelings, but I'll get over it," she said. Truth be told, she looked as though she were about to faint.

Andrea, who had been shocked speechless, spoke up. "Oh…my…god!" she exclaimed. She turned to Helen. "You know, you could totally turn your stories into a movie. It'll totally trump Cameron, I'm sure of it!"

Helen gave her a look, and Kagome cleared her throat. "You can't tell anyone about this!" Kagome said. "Everything we've told you should remain secret, okay? Not a lot of people know about the Feudal Era, and I'd like it to remain that way."

Helen turned her eyes to Todd, who had remained quiet all throughout their explanation. He returned her gaze with a small, reassuring smile. Helen smiled back.

Sesshoumaru, who had seen their brief exchange, fought the urge to place a hand on the hilt of his sword. He was finding it even more difficult to keep himself from doing anything rash. He wanted to be rid of his feelings for Helen, but it seemed the harder he tried to let them go, the more tenacious they became.

"Well," Alicia spoke up again. "What do you plan on doing about this Sokoro person?"

Helen unconsciously rubbed her forearm. "Uh…"

"Leave that woman to Sesshoumaru and I," Lady Shinsuke said. "When Sokoro brings a Creation into this world, it leaves her weakened for a while."

"Wait," Helen said, her eyes finding Sesshoumaru for the first time. "You're…you're not saying you're going to hunt her down, are you?"

"Obviously," Sesshoumaru said. The ice in his voice was sufficient to make the room temperature drop.

Lady Shinsuke smiled. "I know you worry about Sesshoumaru and I, but rest assured, with Sokoro weakened, we are more than a match for her." They couldn't help but notice the way she emphasized Sesshoumaru's name.

Helen bit her lower lip. She had seen how Sesshoumaru had nearly lost to Sokoro, and, to be honest, she was worried for the both of them. Sesshoumaru had hurt her before, but that didn't mean she wanted him harmed.

"I want to help," Helen said quietly.

"Inuyasha and I will help, as well," Kagome offered.

"What?" Inuyasha said. Kagome threw him a glare. "Fine."

"You would only be a burden," Sesshoumaru said, holding Helen's gaze. For a moment, he remembered the way she'd caressed his cheek with blood-stained fingers after Mabo had nearly killed her.

"How would you know?" Helen snapped, glaring.

He raised an eyebrow at her, and was about to retort when Lady Shinsuke beat him to it. "Sesshoumaru is right," she said, raising a hand, her tone imperious. "You will stay out of Sokoro's way, as will the both of you." She looked pointedly at Inuyasha and Kagome.

"What?!" Inuyasha said, jumping to his feet. "Are you saying I don't have what it takes to take that woman down?"

"You are only a half-demon, Inuyasha," Sesshoumaru said icily. "What could you possibly accomplish?"

"Something tells me we should get out…fast," Andrea said, tugging on both Todd and Alicia's sleeves.

"You're being such a jerk!" Helen snapped, glaring at Sesshoumaru. "They're only offering to help!"

"Half-breeds should know when they're help is a hindrance," Sesshoumaru said quietly, cold eyes boring into Helen's.

Helen seemed to bristle at that. "Will you stop it with your prejudices against half-demons?" she said, aggravation in her voice. "It's not Inuyasha's fault that he is what he is, and frankly, he doesn't give a damn, so why should you?"

"Half-breeds are worthless," Sesshoumaru countered. "Nothing but abominations with tainted blood."

"Say that again!" Inuyasha snarled, drawing out Tessaiga. "I'll show you what a half-breed can do!"

Kagome's eyes widened. Was she going to end up homeless in one night?! "Inuyasha!" Kagome pleaded. "Just ignore him!"

Alicia and Andrea slowly stood up, dragging Todd with them. "Uh…if you guys don't mind…giant swords are sort of _not_ our thing," Alicia said sheepishly.

"Big words coming from such small vermin," Sesshoumaru hissed, drawing out Ryuko, and glaring at his brother.

_Holy hell!_ Kagome thought. A vivid mental image of the city in ruins suddenly flashed through her mind.

"Stop it!" Helen snapped, getting between Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha. She threw Sesshoumaru a look of deepest disgust. "From what I've heard, Inuyasha has beaten you a fair number of times, and you still look down on him? He was only trying to help!"

"Stay out of this," Sesshoumaru said coldly. He didn't need his feelings for her getting in the middle of his judgement.

Inuyasha scoffed and, much to everyone's surprise, he sheathed Tessaiga. "Forget it, Helen," Inuyasha said. "He'll never change his opinion on half-breeds." He turned to his brother. "With that 'pole-up-your-ass' attitude, I'm not surprised Helen went for a mortal instead of you."

In the blink of an eye, Sesshoumaru had Inuyasha pinned against the wall by his throat. Everyone gasped as Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes dangerously at his brother, who didn't even bother struggling.

"Sesshoumaru!" Helen and Kagome exclaimed. Lady Shinsuke stood, realizing that the demon lord's temper had finally decided to get the better of him.

"Honestly, there's no need for this!" Hsia and Lady Shinsuke said. Both glanced at each other with narrowed eyes. _You stole my line!_ they both thought.

"It's true, isn't?" Inuyasha said, smirking at his brother. He gripped Sesshoumaru's hand, trying to pry his brother off him. "She doesn't want you! You're second fiddle to a _human!_ And that is just so sad!"

"Why the hell are you dragging me into this?" Helen snapped. "And stop insulting him, Inuyasha!" _If you like your head on your shoulders! _

Inuyasha inwardly gulped when his brother's eyes turned blood red. _Shit, he's scary! _Alicia, Todd, and Andrea thought as they backed against the wall, ready to leap out the window.

"Sesshoumaru, put him down!" Helen said. She glanced at Lady Shinsuke, wondering if her mother could restrain a rampaging Sesshoumaru.

Sesshoumaru squeezed. Inuyasha's eyes widened in surprise as he struggled against his brother's iron grip. "You will learn to hold your tongue, half-breed," Sesshoumaru hissed venomously. Inuyasha's words rang true, and the blow to his pride was devastating. Second fiddle to a _human_.

He glanced at the boy, Todd, who seemed to freeze where he stood. That Helen could choose this weakling over him was insulting. He turned back to Inuyasha, who continued to struggle against his hold. He inwardly scoffed as he released the _hanyou_, who fell to the ground, coughing.

"Sokoro is none of your business, little brother," Sesshoumaru said coldly. "And you will do well to remember it."

"Everyone needs help, Sesshoumaru," Helen said softly, drawing his full attention. "Even someone like you." She wanted to reprimand him for what he did to Inuyasha, but thought better of it. She had a feeling that—despite the icy demeanor—his temper was still at boiling point.

"You will stay out of it," Lady Shinsuke said, frowning at Helen.

"We want to help," Helen said slowly. "Inuyasha, Kagome and I."

"This is not your fight, Helen," Lady Shinsuke said. "If you want to help, then help her." She gestured to Hsia, who, for once, agreed with Lady Shinsuke.

"I can do both," Helen said, crossing her arms. Actually, in light of the Sokoro crisis, planning a wedding seemed silly; but she wasn't about to tell Hsia that.

"Sokoro is none of your concern," Sesshoumaru told her. For an instant, the image of Helen lying broken and bleeding on the ground flashed through his mind. "You will only get in the way."

"You can't tell me what to do!" Helen snapped.

_I think I'm going to need two aspirins after this,_ Kagome thought, feeling a demonic headache coming on.

"Enough!" Lady Shinsuke's loud voice reverberated with command, and the silence that followed was total. She turned to Helen, Inuyasha and Kagome. "I shall allow you to assist. However…should she"—she gestured to Hsia again—"require your assistance in any way, you shall put her first." She made a mental note to ensure that Hsia kept them busy with the wedding.

Helen was about to protest, when Lady Shinsuke held up a hand. "No more, Helen," she said. "You have my stubbornness. I do not want to know what it feels like to argue with myself. I have never had a headache, and I think arguing with you might give me one."

Helen crossed her arms, embarrassed at having been chastised. Lady Shinsuke glanced around the room. "No one has anything else to say?" she asked. "Good."

**XoXoXo**

"Y'know, I'm worried about you," Todd said later that evening. It was just before dinner, but he had decided—and it was a wise choice—to decline the invitation to eat, saying that he would return to the hotel and eat with Robert. Helen had secretly told him that it would not be a good idea to stay for a long period of time in the same place as an aggravated Sesshoumaru…especially since he was part of the reason for the demon lord's aggravation.

"Why?" Helen asked. She walked with Todd towards the shrine steps, her hand held firmly in his.

They stopped in front of the _torii_ gate, and he turned to face her. "Did you see that guy back there?" he asked. 'That guy', obviously meaning Sesshoumaru. He sounded neither scared nor nervous—he sounded determined. "The way he pinned Inuyasha to the wall in less than a heartbeat? The way his eyes turned red?"

"I've seen worse," Helen said darkly. For a moment, she remembered how Sesshoumaru had nearly killed her himself last year, when she had said too much and—for want of a better word—pissed him off. He never really did apologize for it…though, she didn't expect him to, anyway. How on earth did she ever come to love him?

Wait, love? He was in the past, Todd was the present. _Loved_ was the better term.

Todd stared at her and frowned. "I don't want you anywhere near him," he said quietly. "He's dangerous."

To his surprise, Helen chuckled. "I can handle him, don't worry about me," she said, grinning. "My mother is with him, he'll behave."

"You mean like the way he behaved with his little brother back there?" Todd raised an eyebrow at her. "I'm just worried, that's all. And…to be honest…this whole thing is new. Demons, magic…those are the stuff of fiction." He raked a hand through his mane of messy hair, a habit when he was nervous.

Helen inwardly tensed. She could sense that Todd was actually nervous about it all and that, in turn, made her on edge. She looked down at her feet. What if he couldn't handle this secret? What if he decided to leave her after all?

"But…" Todd said as he tilted her chin up, so he could look into her eyes. "It's not something I can't handle." He gave her a small smile as he cupped her cheek.

Helen smiled at him, holding his hand to her cheek. "You have no idea how much that means to me," she said quietly. "That you understand, I mean."

Todd raised both his eyebrows. "I love you Helen, of course I understand you," he said softly. "I don't care if you have two heads, I think you're fine just the way you are."

Helen closed her eyes. She wanted to say those three simple words back. She'd been with him for six months now. He had been there for her during the Great Depression. He understood her completely and, unlike _someone_, he didn't mind showing that he cared. But…

She couldn't say them. Not yet, at least. The last time she had given those three words to someone, he had thrown them back in her face, and sent her away.

She slowly opened her eyes and gave Todd a soft smile. "Thank you," she said quietly.

Todd smiled, then leaned forward to kiss her on the forehead. "Good night," he said softly.

Helen watched him go. She wrapped both arms around her as the wind blew softly around her.

**XoXoXo**

Sesshoumaru did not like what he saw.

He was sitting on the roof, his eyes fixed on Helen and that worthless mortal as they made their way towards the _torii_ gate, hand in hand. He took a breath, willing his emotions to calm down. Truth be told, eavesdropping was beneath him. In fact, spying on them was beneath him. Unfortunately, reason no longer seemed to own him, at the moment.

Emotions were quite bothersome. And yet…his desire to be rid of his feelings for Helen was becoming less of a concern as of late.

He turned his attention back to the pair. He found himself amused when the boy, Todd, spoke of him. He may have been capable of hiding the fear in his voice from Helen, but there was no fooling him. He knew the boy feared him, as he should.

"I've seen worse," Helen suddenly said, her expression dark.

Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes. There was no doubt in his mind that Helen had seen him at his very worse. For an instant, he remembered that he had very nearly killed her last year. To his surprise, he found himself appalled at his actions.

He drowned out their conversation as he let his thoughts wander to that moment. Helen had taunted him about Kagura—of all things—and he had lost his patience with her. He had retaliated. He stared at his clawed hands, a frown on his face. He was not a fool—he had hurt her innumerable times in the past, and yet…

She had always returned to him, always forgiven him. For a moment, he marvelled at her capacity to forgive him. Anyone else would have just left, but she had stayed. She had stayed until the end, until he had decided that he could not give himself over to his emotions, the emotions that had, admittedly, frightened him. He could not bear the concept of willingly surrendering everything to her—his power, his life, his very _being_.

And so, he had done the only thing that he could: he'd sent her away for the final time.

But it seemed that Fate liked to mock them both, for here she was again.

"I love you Helen, of course I understand you," he heard the boy say. He looked down at them. "I don't care if you have two heads, I think you're fine just the way you are."

Sesshoumaru stared at Helen. For a moment, he could see what the mortal could not—the confusion and hesitation in Helen's eyes before she closed them. He waited for her response.

"Thank you," she said at last, as she opened her eyes. He felt pleased. She had not replied with those three words, three words that she had given to him last year without hesitation.

To his chagrin, the boy leaned forward and kissed Helen on the forehead. In that brief instant, he decided that he hated the boy more than he hated Toshimaru—which was unfortunate for the mortal. As much as Sesshoumaru wanted to be rid of the pest, he could not simply kill the boy. Helen would not forgive him for it.

"Good night," the boy said as he left.

He watched Helen wrap her arms around herself as the wind blew softly around them. She turned around and made her way back to the house, when she stopped and looked up at him.

For a moment, she looked surprised as she held his gaze. And then a look of sadness seemed to veil her eyes as he heard her sigh.

He wanted to leap down, and draw her into his arms. He wanted to wipe the sadness from her eyes.

Helen tore her gaze away from him as she entered the house.

"Meditating, I see," a voice said behind him. Only two people could sneak up on him. One was his dear _haha-ue_, and the other…

He glanced over his shoulder. Lady Shinsuke stood behind him. She was still dressed in her kimono. She looked very human, in his opinion.

"Perhaps," he replied.

Lady Shinsuke sat beside him, crossing her legs gracefully beneath her. "I see you look at her often," she said quietly.

Sesshoumaru stiffened, allowing no expression to show. Frankly, he felt that he had been rather discreet on that part.

"You know," Lady Shinsuke said, looking up at the stars. "I am not wholly blind to all the hurt you put her through in the past."

He turned his gaze to her. He suspected that she was not. "By all rights," Lady Shinsuke went on. "I should have your head on a spike. Not that I'm threatening you, or anything of the sort, because Takeida agrees with me."

He blinked. This was awkward.

"But I am too fond of you, Lord Sesshoumaru," Lady Shinsuke said. "To me, you are what I would have asked for in a son. And besides…" She turned her gaze to him. "I cannot deny that Helen loves you still."

He raised an eyebrow at her. "She seems content with a mere mortal."

"I am her mother," she said. "I know…and I have a feeling that you know it to be true." She stood up, looking down at him. "Don't disappoint me." She leapt gracefully from the roof, and out of sight. He turned his gaze back to the stars.

He wouldn't.

**XoXoXo**

If anyone had ever told Kagome Higurashi that she would have two demons, a hot-headed half-demon, and two chatty American teens over for dinner, as well as her aunt, she would have said that life was just one big sitcom.

Unfortunately, her life was _real_, in every sense of the word.

Everyone—with the exception of Sesshoumaru—were seated around the table in the kitchen. Helen, Hsia, and Lady Shinsuke were seated at one side, with Helen in-between them. Kagome, Inuyasha, and Alicia were seated at another, while Andrea took the head of the table, with Souta beside her. Her grandfather and mother were seated at the other end.

"Everything smells wonderful, Mrs. Higurashi!" Alicia complimented as she eyed the food on the table. Mrs. Higurashi—considerate hostess that she was—had prepared a western-style meal for her guests.

"_Itadakimasu!"_ Kagome said cheerfully, picking up her knife and fork.

Lady Shinsuke blinked as her violet eyes jumped from one dish to another. Unlike some demons, she was quite tolerant of human food, and even enjoyed it on occasion. The food in front of her was strange. She raised a dainty eyebrow.

"What's the matter, don't like human food?" Inuyasha asked. His mouth was partially full, and he held a fried chicken leg in one hand.

"Inuyasha!" Kagome reprimanded.

"I'll have you know, I happen to enjoy _mochi_," Lady Shinsuke replied. She delicately lifted a piece of fried chicken and held it close to her narrowed eyes. She tilted her head as everyone glanced at her queer behaviour.

"Uh…" Helen said. "That's fried chicken."

"I am completely aware of what a chicken is," Lady Shinsuke said as she set the piece on her plate.

"That was _fried_," Helen went on. "It's really tasty, try it." She gave her mother a smile.

Lady Shinsuke picked up the fork beside her. She bought it close to her face, and narrowed her eyes at it. She then turned her gaze to the dinner knife beside her plate and frowned. "You use weapons as eating utensils?" she said, turning her attention back to the fork.

They couldn't help it—they chuckled.

"Here, let me show you," Helen said as she showed the demoness the proper way of using a knife and a fork. To her credit, Lady Shinsuke was a quick learner and, soon enough, was using both knife and fork as though she were a paragon.

"By the way," Kagome said, when everyone finally dug in. "Has anyone seen Sesshoumaru?"

Helen froze, fork midway to her mouth. "I haven't," she lied, a little too vehemently, giving her cousin a flat look. For an instant, the look in Sesshoumaru's eyes as he looked down on her from the rooftop flashed through her mind, and she immediately pushed it aside…albeit with difficulty. _What was he doing on the roof in the first place?_ she thought.

Kagome returned her cousin's look. "I wasn't asking you specifically," she pointed out.

"I was just volunteering an answer," Helen said defensively.

"Touchy, touchy," Inuyasha said, grinning.

Helen glared at him. Alicia and Andrea glanced at Helen before leaning towards each other. "Why do I get the feeling that she still likes him?" Alicia whispered, her hand cupped to Andrea's ear.

"I know," Andrea said tragically. "Though, looking at Sesshoumaru, you really can't blame her."

Helen's eyebrow twitched. Really, did her friends think that she was shallow enough to go for Sesshoumaru's looks alone? _If I remember correctly, even I don't know why I love—_loved_—him. What am I thinking?_ She shook her head. Inuyasha and Lady Shinsuke both wore smug looks as they looked at Helen.

"Poor Todd," Alicia said.

"Ally, I know this is really rude, but twenty bucks says she breaks up with him," Andrea whispered.

"You're horrid. Twenty bucks says they're still together by the time we go back to America," Alicia countered, ever the loyal one.

"I can hear you, you know!" Helen screeched, giving her friends a glare. She was acutely aware that both Inuyasha and Lady Shinsuke, the only ones who could hear the two's whispers, were both wearing the same amused expressions on their faces (which was saying something).

"Oh, right, super demonic hearing," Andrea said. She took out her iPhone, typed in the word, _'deal?'_, and showed it to Alicia. They both shook hands.

Helen's eye twitched as she leaned her head against her palm. _Can demons really get headaches?_ she thought, making a mental note to ask Kagome for an aspirin.

"To answer your question, Kagome," Lady Shinsuke said. "I cannot sense Sesshoumaru's presence. I think he may be looking for Sokoro." Though she knew perfectly well that he was still on the roof, 'meditating'.

Helen's eyes snapped to her. "On his own?" she said. Though she tried to hide it, there was no mistaking the concern in her voice.

"No need to worry about him," Lady Shinsuke said, though her tone indicated that she _wanted_ Helen to worry. She waved a hand dismissively. "Sokoro weakens for a while after bringing a Creation into this world. He will be perfectly safe, no need to fuss."

"I wasn't worrying," Helen said, scoffing, as she crossed her arms, her food forgotten.

"I can almost smell that twenty bucks, Alicia," Andrea said, winking.

"Wait…" Helen said slowly, as realization dawned on her. "Sokoro…would she go after anyone aside from me and Sesshoumaru?" The thought of Todd alone with Robert at the hotel while Sokoro ran lose somewhere made her stomach tighten with worry.

"I highly doubt it," Lady Shinsuke said. "Her main focus would be you, Sesshoumaru, Toshimaru, and Lord Susanoo. She may be capricious of nature, but that woman always has her eyes on the prize." She leaned back in her seat. "As was the case when she tried to seduce Lord Inutaisho."

Inuyasha spat his soup. "WHAT?!" he asked, eyes wide with surprise. "My old man?!"

Lady Shinsuke shrugged. "Takeida was extremely angry, of course," she said. She placed a finger to her chin thoughtfully. "If I recall correctly, before we sealed her on the moon, she slapped Sokoro. Hard."

Kagome had no doubt that Sesshoumaru's mother had been the jealous type. _Like mother, like son_, she thought. _If that's the case, I wonder if she was ever jealous of Inuyasha's mom?_

"Is that why she was flirting with Sesshoumaru when they fought?" Helen said, trying to sound nonchalant.

"Someone sounds jealous," Inuyasha said, grinning.

Helen glared. "I have no reason to be!" she said. "It's just that…how are you supposed to fight properly?!"

"She sounds defensive," Souta said to his mother in an undertone. Helen shot him a look.

"Twenty bucks," Andrea said again, rubbing her fingers together.

**XoXoXo**

"I can't believe you guys!" Helen snapped. "How could you make a bet on me?"

Andrea shrugged. They were in Kagome's room, helping the _miko_ move in two more cots. Due to Lady Shinsuke's arrival, new sleeping arrangements had to be made. Mrs. Higurashi had gladly given said demoness her own room, while she and Hsia would be bunking in Kagome's room. Souta would be staying with his grandfather while Sesshoumaru still kept the boy's room (which Souta thought was still the coolest thing in the world).

Helen let out a long sigh. "How much did you bet?" she asked flatly.

Alicia looked up sheepishly. "Twenty," she said.

Helen slapped a hand to her forehead. "Twenty," she repeated, disbelieving.

"Truth be told," Kagome said as she sat on the cot. "Helen, I've been wondering…are you really over Sesshoumaru?"

"We've been through this before," Helen said, pinching the bridge of her nose. She could sense the demonic headache coming along. "I. Am. Over. That. Jerk."

"Then why are you so defensive?" Kagome said.

"Do you _want_ me to break up with Todd?" Helen snapped.

Kagome raised her hands. "No, I actually think he's good for you," she said. "But…I want you to be happy Helen."

Helen stared at her, at a loss for words. "I _am_," she said. She sat beside Kagome and stared at her feet, Alicia and Andrea momentarily forgotten. "Todd cares about me Kagome. He makes me happy, he really does."

_Then why can't you look me in the eye?_ Kagome thought. She sighed, and put on a smile. "I'm glad to hear it!" she said as she stood up. "I really think Todd is such a nice person, you know."

"He is!" Helen said brightly, giving Kagome a smile.

"He's pretty good on the track team, too," Alicia offered.

"And he puts up with Hellie!" Andrea added.

Helen glared at her. "And what do you mean by that?" she said, lobbing a pillow at Andrea.

"Hey!" Andread said as the pillow hit her on the face. "_That_!"

Kagome and Alicia laughed as Helen threw another pillow at Andrea, who managed to dodge. At that moment, there was a tentative knock on the door.

"Come in!" Kagome called. To her surprise, Lady Shinsuke entered the room, both her hands clasped behind her. She was still wearing her kimono. Helen planned to take her to the mall tomorrow, to get human clothes for her.

"Hey, Lady S.!" Andrea said, waving cheerfully. She still wasn't too fond of the demoness, but she could try—for Helen's sake.

The demoness looked taken aback at the familiarity. "Hello, human," she said.

"It's Andrea," she corrected.

Lady Shinsuke smirked. "It's Lady Shinsuke," the demoness quipped.

"Anyway," Helen said, interrupting Kagome and Alicia's chuckles. "What brings you here, Mother?"

"There was an annoying contraption making such a bothersome ring downstairs," the demoness said. "There was no one around to silence it."

"That was probably the telephone," Kagome said, inwardly marvelling that such a demoness could be so technologically handicapped. "I didn't hear it ring, though. I'll go answer it!" She immediately leapt off the cot.

"You needn't bother yourself, I bought it over," Lady Shinsuke said as she held out the telephone receiver that she had hidden behind her back.

Kagome's eyes bugged out when saw the telephone wire that had been neatly severed. "I…I need an aspirin. _Now_," the _miko_ groaned.

**XoXoXo**

Helen sighed as she stared up at the ceiling. It was quiet. Everyone had gone to sleep, with the exception of Lady Shinsuke who had said that she didn't need sleep, and that she would be meditating in order to find Sokoro. Sesshoumaru was probably awake as well, though Helen had no idea where he was. Probably in the Shrine grounds. Inuyasha had fallen asleep in the living room, while watching _Aibo_.

Helen turned over in her bed. Why was it that people seemed to think that she wasn't over Sesshoumaru? She had Todd, for Pete's sake! And she was happy with him. He was kind, understanding, and he cared about her, despite the secrets that she kept from him. She knew that he was having a hard time accepting her secrets, but who could blame him?

_Don't lie to yourself,_ the annoying little voice said.

_-I am!_ Helen insisted._ Todd is everything that Sesshoumaru will never be!_

_That's because you're not giving him a chance._

_-Excuse me? I gave him a lot of chances last year! A lot of chances to break my heart!_ Her eyes widened in surprise as she sat up in bed. A torrent of memories suddenly came raging at her, of the times Sesshoumaru had hurt her again, and again. And she had forgiven him again, and again.

_You know what Sesshoumaru is like. It takes him forever to just trust someone. How long do you think it takes him to finally admit that he cares about you?_

_-Why should I wait that long in pain? I deserve to be happy too, you know!_

_Yes, you're _very _happy._ Was it just her, or did the little voice sound sarcastic?

"I am," Helen whispered to herself as she lay back down and buried her face in her pillow.

She didn't sleep.

**XoXoXo**

**Firstly, yes, I am still very much alive. I've been very busy over the years, but not quite as busy now, so expect regular-ish updates from me in the future!**

**Second, I've gone through all the stories I've ever written, and let me tell you guys this…I cringed. I absolutely cringed when I re-read my older stories. The writing was in very poor style, some characters were OOC (especially Sesshoumaru), I had typos (I actually used 'loose' instead of 'lose'! Kill me now!), there were redundancies. Yeah…cringed. One good thing about re-reading all the stories, though, starting from the very first one you wrote, is that you can actually _see_ yourself improving. I'm very happy on that point.**

**I cannot promise to re-write those stories (that would take several lifetimes xD), but I can promise you guys this: I will improve my writing, and make it even better : )**

**Last, but not the least, I want to thank you all for reviewing, for following, and for putting this story in your favorites! Your reviews really mean a LOT. So thank you : )**

**Review please!**


End file.
